Category: Thanks

Posted on in Faith, Focus, Journal, Praise, Prayer, Rest, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Surrender, Thanks, Worship, Yield

At Times My Own Notes Confuse Me

The image above is by Joshua Sortino.

I would not knowingly use what someone else wrote and claim it as my own. My notes below from June 9 may be my writing or that of someone else. Where it says From Lectio I am quoting Lectio 365 Daily Devotional.

25-6-9

From Lectio of same date. “Holy Spirit, reshape the pattern of my life. I offer you my story again today: all that is old, all that is new, all that is broken, all that is whole. Give me a glad and generous heart to receive your word.”

Many decades ago the Father asked me if I am willing to teach even if it is one woman by the well. Yes, Lord all these years later I am still willing even if it only touches one woman or one man.

I have started work on a second book. The title of this one will have to do with relationship with God. I am trying to put my experiences in words. So hard to SAY what can seem so UNSAYBLE!

Relationship is not going through the motions of religion. True relationship is more like a river flowing through the desert of life. A river that offers refreshing water, gently sloping banks to rest upon.

True relationship offers new vistas towards the mundane things of life, giving us new impetus for growth and flourishing. This is a differing sort of thing than religion offers. Seek and you will find (Matthew 7:7b). Seek the Presence of the Holy and your eyes will be opened, your heart softened, your ears enabled to hear the voice behind you saying, “Turn to the left or turn to the right.” (Isaiah 30:21) Relationship offers you mother love and father care. Going beyond that to indwelling assurance of an accompanied life. Never alone, always companioned.

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent John 17:3 NIV 

If you are taking a Sabbath rest I pray these ideas give you something to ponder and use as you wait upon the Lord.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Beagle, Challenge, Faith, Focus, Humor, Nature, Praise, Prayer, Thanks, Yield

Summertime

Not liking the humidity this summer, we still need to walk this feisty beagle 4 times a day. The only time she will pee in the yard on her own is if she did not go out the night before because of thunder and is desperate in the morning. Then we simply tie her out early as her only option. Maybe we should get hard heart-ed and make this a new practice!

I was complaining to my neighbor about having to walk this dog. Then I began to notice the evening sky. I would have missed these sights had I not taken Lucky outdoors.

“The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent.” – Psalm 104:2

The snapdragons have kept me entertained as the other plants bloom and wane. This guy was an extremely busy bee!

He is in
He is out
Exploring for more bounty
Take a rest little fellow!!

Year before last I bought a Mallow shrub. It did not survive the winter. Sadly, I could not locate teh receipt to return it for a refund. Last autumn, I bought another mallow and kept the receipt just in case. It survived the winter and is starting to amuse us with saucer-sized flowers. What a strange delight.

Enjoy your summer, whatever the weather where you abide! Keep your eyes open for those treasures in plain sight!!

Posted on in Art, Faith, Focus, Listen, Music, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Trust

Two Favorite Artists

As we were about to travel home from New Mexico June 10, I found new music releases to keep me on track with the Lord! Christy Nockles released The King Who Never Sleeps. Designed as lullabies, she discovered through the first recording of lullabies she made that the adults were gleaning wisdom from them, also. The new recording does not disappoint!

One song is given to you here.

At the same time I have been studying hesed, the concept of God’s unfailing love. In fact a book by Michael Card on the very topic of hesed is due to be delivered here today. I came across the concept from the teachings of Dallas Willard as told by the author Dr. Jim Wilder in the book and various recordings about Renovated: God, Dallas Willard, and the Church that Transforms.

I also received my new CD by Brandon Lake entitled, King of Hearts. I know that some of you do not like music too loud or too fast. This is truly worshipful. Hope you enjoy it! Here is The Half Has Not Been Told from the same CD.

So I am supporting my faith with this and other music this summer. I hope you are finding ways to stay close to Christ and worship throughout your every summer day.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Focus, Just do it, Listen, Music, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Delighted to Find This!

I do not even remember how I came across this! I listened this morning for the first time to a discussion about an old hymn and then the actual singing of the hymn. I found it to be a most delightful YouTube video. It was also early morning on a cloudless day as I listened. This only heightened my awareness of the light. I hope you like it, also! Luke Powell gives a very nice discussion of how the author Walter Chalmers Smith weaves the theme of God and light throughout the hymn. I had never thought of God and light quite that way before. At the end the he plays and sings the hymn.

Immortal, invisible, God only wise! Yes, the describes the song of my soul, too!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Humor, Music, Nature, Praise, Prayer, Surrender, Thanks, Worship

Cooking in Summer

I have been cooking every time I step outdoors. Twenty minutes of working in the garden and I am soaked as if God decided to baste me!

Did I show you the rose? Last year the deer kept eating the new shrub almost to the ground. I was not even certain it would survive the winter after that abuse. Yet here it was blooming large and glorious! And oh, the fragrance of an old fashioned tea rose.

“I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses”

This photo was from June 17 and it is a good thing I took a photo, because the next morning it was gone. Deer bit it off. Unbelievable!! None of the subsequent flowers were as large or as fragrant as that first one. So Bob had the idea we protect the shrub with berry netting. I put up the netting and refreshed the bars of Irish Spring soap. They were deterred! Next I noticed Japanese Beetles eating the flowers. I sprayed like crazy and removed any bugs I saw.

A week or 2 later, I noticed there was hole torn in the netting, perhaps by deer teeth?!? Bob and I spent just about 20 minutes the other evening replacing the berry netting around the rose bush.

You can see where the Japanese beetles have eaten leaves. I cut the remaining flowers and brought them indoors. By the time I came in the house every stitch of clothing was soaked. I am not exaggerating!

The same day, earlier in the day, I began cooking. We had visited the Country Market. I went to work making green beans and ham with potatoes. That required more than one boiling pot! My neighbor had commented, “Them’s some good beans!” so of course, I felt compelled to make him some more. Plus the price was down to .99 pound for fresh green beans!

I went on to cook the spaghetti squash. I am a diabetic married to a man who loves spaghetti. Well the sauce isn’t too bad but the carbs in spaghetti are not good for me. Spaghetti squash gives me a nice alternative!

half an empty squash shell
spaghetti sauce shreds – enough here for 3 servings

I usually freeze the squash into servings for myself. Having just made fresh pesto sauce I am certain we will be feasting on this soon!

Yes, I have been cooking in more ways than one! Hope you are finding ways to remain cool or at least cool off when you have been basted out of doors!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Art, Cooking, Faith, Humor, Praise, Special Event, Thanks

Art Museum Adventure

This month we finally made it to the Cincinnati Art Museum. Bob wanted to see the exhibit “Farm to Table.” Such a catchy contemporary title, don’t you think? It featured food in works of art and as the museum says, “The exhibition showcases over sixty paintings and sculptures, including the work of Claude Monet, Eva Gonzalès, Victor Gilbert, Paul Gauguin, Jules Dalou, and Vincent van Gogh, artists who examined the nation’s unique relationship with food. The bounty of France’s agriculture and the skill of its chefs had long helped to define its strength and position on the international stage. ” For more details click on the link below.

https://www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org/art/exhibitions/farm-to-table/

The painting above was huge. The features on the faces of the sheep enchanted both Bob and me.

Here is the description of another painting.

We studied the painting and discovered many unusual details such as the man with his hand on the bottom of a woman. What caught my attention the most was the woman along the back wall. Is she crocheting or knitting?

I find the detail almost unimaginable. How did they paint these?

We finally decided she is likely knitting and holding her needles in continental fashion. Obviously, she was relaxed and enjoying her work in the midst of the hubbub!

I give thanks to God for those talented enough to paint these amazing descriptions of daily life. To me, some of them actually looked as accurate as photographs.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” – 1 Peter 4:10

“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

Posted on in Faith, Focus, Listen, Music, Obedience, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Worship

Our Recent Church Service

The opening photo was by Dan Cooksey taken at The Notch in Colorado 2020.

This prayer below is taken from the Communion prayers at our church last Sunday. There are times when I am struck by the prayers and feel I must share them. I hope you are blessed by the sharing.

Holy One, we gather this day as one people, members of the same body, grateful for your many gifts and carrying the hope within us for a world filled with love. This vision was given by you, from the very beginning of your creation. You made the earth and all that lives on it. You inspired prophets and shepherds, widows and slaves, to seek liberation from all that oppresses. You led your people from the bondage of slavery in Egypt into the Land of Promise. Your redeeming work continued when, through the Virgin Mary, you became incarnate in Jesus Christ, so that through him we might experience the depth and width of your unquenchable love.

While Jesus lived among us he stood up for women and children, he touched the untouchable, healed the sick, and welcomed those who had given up hope of being included. Through him we see a path not only to our own freedom, but a path to the liberation of the whole world. He taught us that it will not be in the brutality of violence that our world will be saved. Rather, it will be in showing kindness to our neighbor, in standing up against injustice, in returning hate with love, in transforming one heart at a time. It will be in the simple but holy tasks of dining together, sharing bread and wine, truly seeing one another as beloved by you.

Those two paragraphs are a lot to be taken in! I could not comprehend it all in one reading. I could not absorb it by typing it out and then finding my typos. I may spend my remaining days trying to live into this prayer!

Too often we think we know exactly what God is saying to us and has said through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. The indwelling Holy Spirit continues to show me there is more to learn. So much more.

How about you? Have you followed Christ for decades? Are you continuing to discover more about the Kingdom? Are you looking for direct and new insights. Have you shut the door on that idea? Brandon and William Benjamin sing “all that’s good is yours.” I so agree! Hope you will listen and follow the lyrics. There is more.

Our creative God put things into orbit and I am firmly convinced the Almighty continues to open our eyes to perceive and understand more and more and more.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Memories, Nature, Praise, Rest, Thanks, Traveling

Under The Sea

I just love the underside of the ocean surface. Here is an an example why!

When we traveled to Cozumel many years ago I could have sat and just watched the underside of the waves for hours. Of course, I could not hold my breath that long, though the snorkel certainly helped! I was mesmerized by the sight.

How many other things upon the earth have we never seen or contemplated? What fascinates you?

Have you ridden in a plane recently? Bob caught this photo of the clouds for me when we recently flew to New Mexico. I was thinking of the underside of the waves and wanted to compare the water of the ocean and the water in the sky visually.

rmdutina

How wonderful our Creative God made all things!!

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:7 NIV

rmdutina

Even on days when the ocean is dark and seems foreboding, God is with us. The One who spoke to waves and winds can still command our lives.

In his hand are the depths of the earth;
    the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and the dry land, which his hands have formed.

6 O come, let us worship and bow down;
    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! Psalm 95:4-6 NRSVUE

Posted on in Aging, Amazing Creations, Faith, Family, Humor, Memories, Praise, Prayer, Thanks, Worship

Births

The birth I told you about recently reminded me of my daughter’s birth. Fifty years ago today she came into the world. It is hard to grasp that number. I was in labor for 32 hours. Finally the doctor decided to do an emergency C-section. When I awoke they held her up for me to see. She was sticking out her tongue! (Of course, they had just popped a pacifier out of her mouth.)

She is a delight now, just as she was as a newborn!

Celebrating her daughter’s birthday this month, too!

When this woman turns on the joy there is no mistaking how she is feeling! She loves dogs.

For Mother’s Day her daughter took her to Puppy Yoga!

She is her Dad’s clone. They are so much alike I often wonder if I had anything to do with her birth! Emily is a joy and a blessing to us.

Happy Birthday, my dear!

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
    the fruit of the womb a reward. Psalm 127:3 ESV

Posted on in Faith, Obedience, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Writing Life

Life Beckons

Love this quote!

Life beckons us as a flicker. A tendril. A corner of darkness. A bell. A spark of the soul. And curiosity propels us to follow.

ROSE ZONETTI

That is how most of my writing begins. Something is dropped into my consciousness and I set out to follow the path it creates, to discover what is being said.

At Last!!

Finally have notice that the printing has begun!! So excited and humbled and grateful to God and Richelle, the Editor at Crown Publishing!

The book should be available this week through Amazon. I am somewhat amazed. Tired, too.

I will update the post as soon as I know how you can gain access to it.

So all you need to do is go to Amazon and type in Molly Dutina and the title Treasures in Plain Sight should come up! Or use this link to the page …. Treasures in Plain Sight: Growing Closer to Jesus in Prayer https://a.co/d/aYPZnXj

There is print edition as well as a Kindle version for $9.99. The photo show it as less because in my personal Amazon account I have shipping credits right now. Though the book lists for $12.00, please know I earn less than half of that. Any profit will be used for the next book or other Kingdom work.

Thank you for your prayers and support through this process!