Category: Yield

Posted on in Aging, Art, Challenge, Faith, Obedience, Rest, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Surrender, Trust, Yield

None of Us Knows

Once I heard a sermon by a priest who said, “Control is an illusion.” I argued with him all the way home! Guess what? He was right. None of us knows what a day or even an hour may hold.

I made an appointment with a hand surgeon to look at my right hand. I have pain that is fairly constant. I have tried wearing a brace, using Diclofenac cream, menthol rubs, Tylenol, etc. I have been one who has enjoyed crocheting for over 55 years. I also like to cross stitch and am learning to knit (albeit not very well, yet!) I type this blog and also now type my journal since “Uncle Arthur” (nasty osteoarthritis) has taken up residence in my hands among other places.

I was relieved the doctor could get me in this Monday but then it hit me I might not be able to write the blog entries! So here I am on a Sunday afternoon, rearranging my Sabbath practice to write the blog.

If I get a cortisone injection in the base of my thumb it is unlikely I will be able to type tomorrow as is my habit. Besides, the appointment time will take up most of my morning. This is the man who found the distress in my daughter’s hand was a mysterious bone chip that was not missing from any other bone in her wrist. He surgically removed it and she has full function without all the pain. So I have decided to trust him since he did so well with my first baby.

The larger question is will I trust the Lord regardless of what happens at this appointment or into the future? I love to crochet. I get great satisfaction creating things from yarn and string. I give most of those items away. I have been helping my grandson learn to create this way, too! One grandgirl taught herself to crochet watching YouTube videos. Go figure! I gave lessons for many years and continue to share the craft in a weekly meeting at the Senior Center and monthly with Convent Associates.

Am I willing to give even crochet to the Lord? If I am asked to not do crochet I will obey. It might be a gradual ceasing from the activity, but I will if I must. Only if I must.

Psalm 32: 8-9 The donkey I met in Ireland

I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
    whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,
    else it will not stay near you. Psalm 32: 8-9 NRSVUE

Hmm trust, t (see a cross) r us t (see a cross). R us trusting, even if it means the cross punctuating our life before and behind us? Another sermon emphasized that Jesus did everything right and he earned a cross. (Of course, for the joy set before him he endured the cross, despising the shame, and bought us by his blood). Hebrews 12

As things change for you, will you dig in your heels like a mule or follow instructions and accept holy counsel?

Here are a few recent creations …

Posted on in Aging, Book quotes, Faith, Focus, Listen, Obedience, Rest, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Trust, Yield

Strength

I was given a prayer request for strength. This person was in the midst of two part time jobs, raising teenagers, deeply concerned about the unrest in Minnesota and other cities, and having hot flashes. She was right up on the edge of burnout.

I was later reading Amy Carmichael’s Edges of His Grace and Amy quoted this:

Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us. Psalm 68:28 Darby

I sent the quote along to her. So many of us are on the edge of burnout. We need the strength of God and renewal in the strength that only God can offer.

Looking into this further, one footnote said: Septuagint and Syriac and most Hebrew manuscripts say Your God has summoned power for you.

Yes, Lord, she and I both need more of that precious power You have summoned for us!

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength. But you refused Isaiah 30:15 NRSVUE

Lord, you know we are hurried and worried and preoccupied with too many things.We need to be still. Return to you. Rest and trust in you. Help us to not refuse to do these things.

We more inflow and deliberately return to the Giver of Living Water

Send forth your strength O GOD; establish, O GOD, what you have wrought for us. Psalm 68:28 BCP

Above, the Book of Common Prayer quotes this Psalm slightly differently. And below the Names of God Bible says:

Your Elohim has decided you will be strong. Display your strength, O Elohim, as you have for us before. Names of God Bible Psalm 68:28

Your Elohim – Your Elohim, the Supreme One, the Mighty One – and this Mighty one if yours. Ponder that for a moment. Yours. Your God has summoned power for you.Your God send forth strength to you. God has worked things into shape for us. Will establish what God has wrought for us. God has summoned power for us.

I was uncertain how I would get through this past week. I had many pressing matters and needed strength for each of them. This verse helped me turn to the Lord and ask for the strength I needed for each situation. I remembered with longing that Sunday was coming and that I could rest on that afternoon. I was carried in heavenly strength through the week. Left to myself I would have crashed and burned early in the week.

It is an amazing verse and even more amazing gift that is given to us. Sit with this verse. Ponder the meaning in the particulars of your life. How can you apply this verse, this truth to your life? See how Elohim loves you!

Posted on in Aging, Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Humor, Prayer, Special Event, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Yield

I Am An Introvert

Defined as: a person whose personality is characterized by introversion : a typically reserved or quiet person who tends to be introspective and enjoys spending time alone.

So stand me up in front of the congregation, say a prayer over me, applaud .. NOT my cup of tea. Yet to be commissioned as a Stephen Minister I had to do just that. Our three priests and leader of Stephen Ministry and two other Stephen Ministers prayed over me as I knelt. Then there was a reception with cake and congratulations and it was all just difficult for me. The only easy thing was agreeing to serve the Lord through Stephen Ministry.

Pastor Roger is short so you can’t see him here. You can see the soles of my shoes!

Bob and I used to serve on a marriage ministry weekend and our friend Dan always told the people that God chose four introverts to speak to them. The word does say

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are, 29 so that no one might boast in the presence of God.1 Corinthians 127-29

The only thing I boasted about was thanking the Lord for getting me through it! We do serve an amazing God. This God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above ALL that we can ask or imagine. Ephesians 3:20 Verse 21 says to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

A friend gave me a devotional book for Christmas entitled Amazing Grace. It has a devotion for morning and evening. I am grateful she purchased it for me. I would not have been likely to do it as I own many devotional books. This one has been great! When I read the offering for the morning of February 16 I was deeply blessed. The author mentions being able to receive a sincere compliment.

“This is tricky for many of us, as we tread that fine line we’ve walked since little girls, the one between graciousness and fear of appearing vain.

“One of the many wonderful things about life in Christ is that we can cast this worry aside. Once we grasp that every good thing about us is a gift from him, we are free to appreciate being appreciated. Not only that, we also get to call attention to the awesome work he does through our weak places. Consider responding like this: “Thank you! Let me tell you, that was all God. My human side wanted to run for the hills. I can’t believe the courage he gave me to hang in there.”

I almost hollered AMEN! as I read this during breakfast. (I was afraid I would I make Bob choke on his toast!) I just knew I had to post it to you!

So try to remember this quote next time someone compliments you upon your work with God, for God. He alone is most worthy of all glory and praise, thanksgiving and honor! Revelation 7:12

Posted on in Nature, Book quotes, Faith, Beagle, Prayer, Yield, Trust

Rufus

I recently read a book entitled “The Dog That Talked to God.”It features a miniature Schnauzer. I knew one once. My friend Jeanne owned it and it was sweet, though yappy.

The book is Christian fiction. Not only does the dog talk to God, the dog talks occasionally to its master. That might be fun!!

More than halfway through the book the owner decided to sell her house and relocate. This was difficult for both her and the dog. Here is one conversation the two of them had.

Rufus stared at his front paws.

“I guess. Maybe. But I don’t like this change. I liked the way things were. Except for the cold. And the snow. And getting run over by cars. Other than that, I liked it. And there were no horses there at all. None at all.”

This time I bent to him, not to hear him, but to hug him tight to me.

We were both lost and alone and dislocated and we wanted what we had before and would never, ever get back.

“God did say to trust him,” Rufus added, his voice soft, almost a whisper. “I don’t know what that means exactly. But I think he will show us what he wants us to do. Right? He does that sort of thing, right?”

Does that sound familiar to your life experience? This was not just a cutesy book with a warm fuzzy message. This book, written from the perspective of a woman and her dog, written by a man which had me puzzled for a bit, is more like a meatloaf sandwich when you apply it to yourself. The woman is angry with God and has decided not to talk with God anymore. It is an age old human situation and this one is told in an interesting way. I went through that after my mother died suddenly. (We worked it out.)

My book has a copyright of 2012 so you can likely purchase it used through Abe Books or Thrift.

Kudos to Jim Kraus for a good read!!

Posted on in Aging, Challenge, Faith, Focus, Journal, Just do it, Listen, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Surrender, Thanks, Trust, Worship, Yield

Recriminations and Breathing Room

For a week or perhaps 10 days, I got all complicated about my disciplines. We were having new flooring installed in the sitting/sewing room and in order to do that we basically dismantled the room. There was yarn and all manner of sewing things moved into the office. Writing in that space became more difficult as I could barely move my chair. Somehow that overflowed into my morning disciplines. Suffice it to say I lost my focus. It was easy to heap recriminations upon myself. But not productive!

The flooring is now installed. The contents of the room have been replaced and in their original order, sort of. I will have straightening to do for many hours in the future. When we moved the yarn holders (think cloth shoe pouches that hang from the closet pole) yarn and crochet thread went all over the place.

This morning, when I sat down in my prayer chair, I realized I’d left my tablet some place. Remembered I had used my iPad in the living room. I went to retrieve it and there was no charge left. Even the attached keyboard failed to have any power. So my approach to prayer centering was greatly disrupted. That was not all bad.

Looking for a way to firmly connect with the Spirit of God, I remembered all the times I did that without any electronic devices. Just me, the Book of Common Prayer, my Bible, perhaps a dictionary and a desire to know, and be known by my God. This was a masterful reset. I know I stepped away from my disciplines, not deliberately but a little shift here, a little shift there, a little anxiety here about Bob and the dog walking in icy weather, distraction by A B and C, and next thing I knew I was walking an unproductive path.

The meditation I listened to via my smart phone spoke about finding some breathing room. And that is what I have done this morning. I have some breathing room and a path forward to better union with the Trinity.

So hopefully, now I have regained some perspective. I once again have a renewed awareness of how easy it is to abandon the way of life that is so very good for me. I found myself stumbling about with the way of self in the world. It was not fulfilling. Just frustrating and like sawdust to my soul and spirit.

Father, thank you for showing me myself clearly. Help me above all else to hunger for and maintain my connection to you. You are the source of life. You are living water to me. Keep me and direct my ways to the glory of your name. Amen.

The Rule of Saint Benedict says, “Always, we begin again.”

Posted on in Book quotes, Faith, Focus, Obedience, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Yield

Object Lessons

I do well with object lessons in front of me to remind me of God and the path I am supposed to be following. Lately I have been studying to be a lay minister through Stephen Ministries. I wanted to draw on my textbooks a giant ear. Over and over in the lesson material we are taught the importance of being willing to listen without judgement or giving advice.

I wondered where I might find an ear as a reminder. Around October I can sometimes find plastic hands or other body parts. This search begin in January. And then, of course, Amazon was happy to supply my desire.

They sent two cellophane packs of soft ears. One side is bright red (reminiscent of blood). The other side is generally representative of a left human ear. The ear is extremely soft and not very pleasant to hold. Then I realized it would adhere to the window with no glue.

What am I going to do with all of those ears, you ask? In March I will attend my first St. Timothy’s Stephen Ministry Leader meeting. I will take them to share with the others who also serve in this ministry!

You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger James 1:19 NRSUE

Quick to listen. Are you? I am not very quick to listen, but I am trying to do it better.

Whether you look up the 331 references to the word listen or the 347 ones that say hear, the Bible makes it clear this is an imperative trait for humans. We are rarely quick to listen, yet all of us truly want to be heard.

Even more important is the lesson that we should listen to and hear the words of God. In Deuteronomy Moses presents the people with the commandments of the Lord.

Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Deuteronomy 6:4-6 NRSUE

This evolved into a Jewish prayer that you have likely become slightly familiar with, be it through television or New Testament study.

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28-31 NRSVUE

I have read that the Jewish people are told to recite this at least twice a day. I think I should, also. Hear the truth about God. Listen to God and obey. Listen to our neighbor, always and intently. We have our work cut out for us! Will you modify your behavior accordingly?

Posted on in Art, Challenge, Faith, Focus, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Trust, Yield

Prayer

I was blessed and delighted to read this prayer from Lectio 365. No note is made of the author, but I think we can all pray it!

I dedicate the coming week to Jesus:  

Thank you, Jesus, for your faithful and sacrificial friendship. Help me this week to be a faithful and sacrificial friend like you.  

Thank you, Father, for loving me with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. Inspire me this week to love you more with all of mine.   

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for listening to my many thoughts and words and dreams. Still my soul this week to listen much more carefully to yours.

I say, yes, Lord. And Amen.

We are said to be made in the image of God. I had never thought about God loving me with heart, soul, and mind. That stuns me to awe and silence.

The Trinity our faithful and sacrificial friends.

Still me Holy Spirit to listen more carefully to every thing You tell me.

How will you interact with the Trinity this week?

Posted on in Art, Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Focus, Obedience, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Trust, Yield

Amy Carmichael

I am still delighting in her devotional The Edges of His ways.

Luke 4:30: Jesus passing through the midst of them went His way

Our new month will bring us joys, for the Lord of joy is with us; it will also bring us sorrows, for sorrows are part of life. It may bring things which would “throw us down” if they could. But they need not ever do that, for it is possible for us to do just what our Master did when, passing through the midst of them, He went His way.
As, by His grace, we go on in quietness, we shall find those words we know so well come true: “My Presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” Exodus 33:14

His Presence is always with us. He gives us rest. We need to stay in quietness and that is a serious challenge in this increasingly raucous world! Stay in quietness, trust, participate in His Presence, go on your way.

A new challenge for February. We will, with God’s help.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Art, Cooking, Faith, Focus, Just do it, Rest, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Surrender, Thanks, Yield

Winter Weather Plans

A group of friends began a group text message. I usually do not enjoy those, as some folks text on and on for hours. They were sharing how they would entertain themselves as the bitter cold and snow moved in. From fantasizing about Chantilly cake to watching football.

Bob and I attended a “staged reading” by Friends of the Groom, hoping to get home before the winter storm hit. (Indeed we did.) Here is a summary of what we saw.

This is a big treatment of a very big story. For a work still in development, it was impressively delivered. The cast wore coordinated black attire accented by select costume pieces, allowing imagination to do much of the work. Alan Pote served as musical director and pianist, while Tom Long staged the reading and coordinated the accompanying slides, projected on the side of the stage area, suggesting future scenic and battle designs. A review from https://www.leagueofcincytheatres.info/in-development-francis-the-man-from-assisi/

Francis at the center with brown shoulder cover
Jocelyn and Tom are both in the back row

After the performance, taking our cue from Dan Cooksey’s favorite habit of having ice cream for dinner, we went to UDF. Made it home without incident. Later in the evening the snow began.

So my plans were to make wild rice porridge with cranberries and hazelnuts, crock pot oatmeal (because it is the creamiest and best), pumpkin pie filling without the crust (yum!) and make a winter hat for my neighbor.

I got the breakfast foods done. Tore up my thumb crocheting. I think I am getting to where a cortisone injection may be needed? The hat is done. A brace on my hand for 2 nights and one day now.

I have been setting up communication with the prayer teams at our church. That is not working too well yet. I am practicing praise choruses so my friend can write them on staff paper for those who read music at the church. I am editing all of the poetry for publication through Kindle Direct. Another friend is formatting that.

I have dressing balls to make that I never got made at Thanksgiving, Shepherd’s pie for Bob and who knows what else? Or right, coconut pudding pie!

I am so busy I decided to stay home Wednesday morning as bitter cold will still be here and I have too much to do! So I write this to you hoping you have had things you enjoy to keep you distracted from being cooped up at home?

All too soon we are likely to be running around with long lists of to do, to buy, to go see. As the earth is resting under the snow, may you also find rest in this fallow time. To everything there is time and a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3

Posted on in Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Focus, Obedience, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Yield

Joan Chittister and Richard Rohr

At times I read devotional thoughts from both of the above authors. The first listed below in purple print is from Joan Chittister.

“Seek God, not where God lives,” write the Desert Monastics.

The search for God comes one day to the point where we know without a doubt that we are immersed in God. Bringing ourselves to finally recognize that is the essential task of life.

There is no such thing as “getting” God. The fact is that we already have God. God is not somewhere else. God is everywhere. God is here. With me. In me. Now. It is the awareness of that presence which life intends to teach us to cultivate.

Richard Rohr’s website Center for Action and Contemplation posted “What Do We Do with the Bible? Many Voices; One Text”

Carl McColman wrote “A mystical reading of the Bible sees it as a conversation with many voices chiming in. When we read the Bible to connect with those compassionate and just voices, it is not only the Bible that is saved, but we ourselves also become more whole.

“A mystical reading of Scripture can be a way for you to reconnect with the uncreated light that shines at the heart of those ancient words of wisdom and love.” Carl McColman, Read the Bible Like a Mystic: Contemplative Wisdom and the Word (Broadleaf Books, 2025)

I have been trying to read the New Testament with the ideas put forth in Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer. I have finished Mark and Matthew. To me this method is similar to mystical reading. Not trying to look up cross reference and words meanings as in Bible study, but absorb the Word, let it soak into me and do its work on God’s behalf. As Joan Chittister wrote, keep me aware Lord of that presence which life intends for me to cultivate.

Oh Lord, yes, make me more whole. Reconnect me with your uncreated light! Strengthen my awareness and open my eyes and ears to Your closeness, in me and with me. Amen.