Category: Yield

Posted on in Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Prayer, Yield

This Thing Called Hope

Hope; An Owner’s Manual” © Barbara Kingsolver. Taken from “How to be Hopeful,” Kingsolver’s commencement address at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, May 11, 2008.

Look, you might as well know, this thing
is going to take endless repair: rubber bands,
crazy glue, tapioca, the square of the hypotenuse.
Nineteenth century novels. Heartstrings, sunrise:
all of these are useful. Also, feathers.


To keep it humming, sometimes you have to stand
on an incline, where everything looks possible;
on the line you drew yourself. Or in
the grocery line, making faces at a toddler
secretly, over his mother's shoulder.


You might have to pop the clutch and run
past all the evidence. Past everyone who is
laughing or praying for you. Definitely you don't
want to go directly to jail, but still, here you go,
passing time, passing strange. Don't pass this up.


In the worst of times, you will have to pass it off.
Park it and fly by the seat of your pants. With nothing
in the bank, you'll still want to take the express.
Tiptoe past the dogs of the apocalypse that are sleeping
in the shade of your future. Pay at the window.
Pass your hope like a bad check.
You might still have just enough time. To make a deposit.

What an imagination and apt description for those that refuse to give up and continue to hope, even when things look dark. “Rubber bands, crazy glue and tapioca” everything you’ve got.

Paul described hope as one of the greatest things we can have.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:11-13

Irregardless of what you may be enduring this week, this year, I urge you to hold on to hope.

And may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 NIV
Posted on in Aging, Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, medical treatment, Memories, Poetry, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Yield

A Few Ways to Cope with Chronic Illness

Remember my brainstorm of things I might share with my friend? Here are a few more.

Have you ever deliberately turned to face the Lord? Once on retreat I determined to hold His hand and stay with Him. It was my practice for a few hours and changed me forever. We are invited by His Spirit to do these things every day.

For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

Isaiah 41:13 NIV

Turn to face the Lord. Determine to stay with Him. Hold His hand.

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park, photo by r m dutina

Do you remember recently when I quoted Rick Hansen, PhD, from his book “Just One Thing”? The post is here https://wordpress.com/post/treasures-in-plain-sight.org/7643

One of his ways of bringing us back to the present moment is in Chapter 42, page 173. “Notice You’re All Right Right Now.” My summary along with other methods I have learned follows. Look at this present moment. Notice you have been breathing through all these health changes. Breathe now. Intentionally. Breathe again, here in this moment. Keep breathing. Are you still there, present in this moment? If you drifted away come back. Kindly be right here, now. This is a practice that can increase your capacity for mindfulness. There have been many, many studies that prove the health benefits of learning mindfulness.

I wrote a poem once about my experience when I was diagnosed with chronic illness. The refrain is, “Pray that I don’t panic. Pray I can be still. Pray that I can find God in the midst of being ill.” It is extremely difficult to focus on ANYTHING when we do not feel good. Mindfulness practice can help us. Brother Lawrence taught we are to speak to God all day long about everything. That is easier to accomplish if you are not panicked, distracted, racing about with catastrophizing, etc. (“Catastrophizing is a cognitive distortion that prompts people to jump to the worst possible conclusion, usually with very limited information or objective reason to despair.”)

In his book “Man’s Search for Meaning” Viktor Frankl wrote,”Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Frankl suffered with many others in a Nazi prison camp. The man knows suffering. We get to choose our attitudes towards what is going on with our health, or any other situation.

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.

Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

I cannot change the multiple diagnoses of chronic health conditions that I have. I can however determine to challenge myself to find ways to cope and reasons to live on, preferably with joy and gladness.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Music, Spiritual growth, Yield

Chapman Harbourg

I was listening to this song and this video was on. I was stunned. Had to sit down and watch it twice! The sculptor is Chapman Hamborg. When he finishes the clay sculpture my thought was “Perfect!” And then he goes on to covering it and adding what looks like plaster cast material. In side I was going, “Oh no!” On his blog he talks about this video. Then I hope you will watch it for yourself. Maybe twice!!

“Bethel Church and the School of Ministry have both played a big part in my life. My two older brothers and my wife have all attended the ministry school. Since the age of fourteen I have been making trips to Redding to visit Bethel. What an incredible place! I have never seen so many people in one room overflowing with love and passion for Jesus. Spending time in that environment always had a profound impact on my family and myself.

“Bethel Music has played an equally big part in my life. I really connect with their heart for worship: authentic, raw and passionate. I have had countless moments connecting with God through their music, whether it is during a church service, or on my iPod dancing through fields. Their music leads me out of whatever funk I am in and into the presence of Jesus to have fun with Him. I am always listening to music as I draw, paint or sculpt, and I find worship most inspiring to listen to while creating. As God is the ultimate artist I feel the most creative when I am connected to Him.

“With all that to say, you can imagine when I was asked to sculpt Bethel Music’s next album cover, how overjoyed I was! I was beyond excited to collaborate with Bethel Music in this way, and felt overwhelmed with God’s love for me. It felt like He was telling me ‘”I choose you, Chapman.”

 

I felt as if I could see the talent and inspiration in his eyes. Wow! Can barely imagine what it would be like to have his skill to create in 3-D.

Give God all of your heart and see what comes forth!

Posted on in Faith, Music, Yield

Sunday Worship

I was playing worship music while working in the sewing room last Sunday afternoon. This song drew me at first by the crickets. Reminds me of summer mornings at Siesta Drive when I used to journal. Me, the crickets and Jesus. Then the opening solo by Brandon. Spoke to me of such transparency and rang true with the desires of my heart.

Oh my goodness. As a child did you ever say ‘ascared’? First time I heard this the lyric sounded like ‘ascared’. Hard to make that transition from not to scared? It cleared up as they went on and the more I listened. Do you tell our heavenly Father when you are ‘ascared’?

Listen I did. Put it on recurring so it played over and over again. I just love singers that can lead me INTO worship. I would listen, pause, worship. Go back to my task at hand, then pause, worship.

The lyrics are on this version. Absolutely love the song.

“In over my head, I’m not scared to get drenched in Your love … I’m not scared to get lost in Your love.” And we know that plants need water along with us! Worship and be drenched.

 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:16-19
Posted on in Aging, Amazing Creations, Challenge, Covid 19, Faith, Family, Journal, medical treatment, Memories, Nature, Prayer, Spiritual growth, Yield

How Roots Grow

The photo at the top is the Juniper tree at Live Oak Park, Berkeley, California. That is the place where Bob and I said our marriage vows over 51 years ago.

My Robert waiting under the Juniper tree with our families for me to wed him. Episcopal priest behind him.

Decades went by. I gave my heart back to Christ in 1976. He gave his life to Christ not too long after that. We worked and worked on our marriage over the years. We have always said, “Divorce is not an option. Murder maybe, but not divorce!”

Fast forward from 1970 to December 2017. We both got the flu. Within 24 hours his became life threatening pneumonia with organ shut-down sepsis. Got him to an ER. He was placed on a ventilator and rushed to a different hospital. Within two days my cough began to break up and I was by his side.

The passage from Ephesians 3 helped me as I walk through the terror of possibly losing him forever.

In 2018 I wrote: “Part of my struggle was yielding to the facts and in stillness letting my wishes die, placing my hope in the plans of the Almighty. I could not see the outcome at all, but I trusted His goodness and His love for both myself and my family. I learned that crucified you must hold perfectly still. EPH 3:16 helped me to trust more. “I pray that, according to the riches of His glory, He may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through His Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.” I prayed for Bob and our children to be strengthened. I prayed for myself to be strengthened by His Spirit with power penetrating to my innermost being. Yes, crucified you must hold perfectly still. I was not “going” anywhere.”

Have my roots grown since then? I learned so much through that awful experience. Yes, my husband is alive and kicking now. His health has returned. We are going through the Covid crisis with everyone else in the world. We are perhaps more careful than other Americans, having almost lost him four years ago.

My roots? Well I am certainly aware that Bob and I will not last into eternity. Only my relationship with Christ will go that far. We do hope to see each other in the afterlife, but we both understand that relationships there are much different than here.

“Strengthened in your innermost being with power through His Spirit and that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith….” I would not want to lose my husband to Covid or in any other way, but I feel as if I would not be devastated as I might have been in 2018. Having lived through the almost-death and brutal recovery after his illness, I can honestly say that the Lord sustained us and taught us both many things about His love and power.

“Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, AS you are being rooted and grounded in love.” God’s love is beyond my words. He holds, sustains and directs me with His love. When I resist His leading, He disarms me with His love. He indwells me by with power by His Spirit and it is a process to be rooted and grounded in love. An ongoing to the day I die sort of process.

I love this video. It shows what I cannot see below the surface of the soil. It shows the growth in split screen above and below and then goes on to show the up-close root process. How are your roots growing?

Can you imagine yourself being rooted and grounded in love like this kidney bean? Like the Juniper tree in the photo above? Why not watch the video again and ask the Lord to strengthen you in your inner being with power through His Spirit. Ask Him to helped you be rooted and grounded in love. One person noted, “We need to ask for what we want.” Grow us Lord I pray, by Your Spirit and power, in Your time. Amen.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Book quotes, Faith, Journal, Just do it, Prayer, Spiritual growth, Yield

First Fifteen

I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV

You may remember I asked you to listen for a word to direct your life this year? Mine came in the form of Ephesians 3:17b “being rooted and established in love.” I have been studying out what that means to me. From library books about trees, to tree and root photos I have been collecting for a few years, to online biology resources.

This morning I listened to this devotional and found a way to share it with you. This is published daily with the premise being to lead you into the first 15 minutes of your day by thinking about, praying to, and worshiping God. I hope you are encouraged and blessed by this experience. I was blessed that the Scripture at the end is Ephesians 3 16-19! Just click on the title Live For Love and it will take you to the website. I downloaded the app for daily (or in my case almost daily) use.

Live for Love

Hope the fifteen minutes was well spent! I know it was for me.

Posted on in Aging, Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Spiritual growth, Yield

Hours of Lessons

My sister gave me a book entitled “Just One thing” by Rick Hanson, PhD, a neuropsychologist. If you are not an Amazon book buyer it is available through newharbinger.com. I have randomly read portions of it. It was published in 2011 and says all rights reserved, so perhaps I should only share portions? Not certain how to go about this legally.

I recently read the chapter called Be Glad one evening and then to an online group I try to meet with monthly. These women are advanced in their spirituality and self-care. Hanson presents some ideas for practice that helped us think of things we have overlooked.

He begins by talking about how our brains are wired since creation to be aware of negative things around us. He teaches how difficult it can be to stay positive in this negative brain soup (my term. ) He writes, “As a consequence, we pay a lot of attention to threats, losses, and mistreatment in our environment – and to our emotional reactions, such as worry, sadness, resentment, disappointment, and anger. We also focus on our own mistakes and flaws – and on the feelings of guilt, shame, inadequacy, and even self-hatred that get stirred up.”

But because of the negativity bias of the brain, most of us go way overboard.   Which is really unfair. It’s not fair to zero in on a bit of bad news and ignore or downplay all the good news around it.

Rick Hanson, PhD

I love that he called it “unfair!” So we need to work our way out of the bad news, negativity and emphasize the good news or “the bad news also primes us to be untrusting or cranky with others.” I am certain that none of my readers are ever cranky with others. Just ask my husband, Bob, to find out how often I can be cranky!

And as your growing gladness naturally lowers your stress, you’ll likely get physical health benefits as well, such as a stronger immune system.

Be Glad, Just One Thing, Hanson

Who doesn’t want a stronger immune system? Okay, you there, yes, you. You can stop reading now and keep your lousy immune system.

Reading this more than once and then typing out the entire selection this morning has given me hours of lessons to use. One blog in the near future will demonstrate how I was able to use this material almost immediately.

As we age and are unable to do things we used to take for granted I am praying that these lessons about “Be Glad” stay with me for future use and enjoyment of all the things I am still ABLE to do!

Hanson added

Sometime every day, before going to bed, name to yourself at least things you are glad about.

Rick Hanson, Just One Thing, Be Glad

My pastor says five things first thing in the morning, three at bedtime, the point being just DO IT. Teh Psalmist said to praise God seven times a day (Psalm 119:164) Paul tells us repeatedly to rejoice. Find reasons to rejoice in the Lord. ALWAYS. But do you?

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anythings is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

Philippians 4:4-8 NIV

The following is an endorsement for the book.

Posted on in Aging, Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Journal, Just do it, medical treatment, Music, Prayer, Spiritual growth, Writing Life, Yield

Every Moment Holy Quote

I was in a situation the other day where acute and chronic pain were doing a dance. Frenetic tap dancing I would say since I do not truly understand tango – and tango seems to be a love dance. One area calls for attention and then acute throbs. First one recedes and another pops up. Like pinball pain, ding-ding-ding, someone hits the flipper and it catapults pain here there and everywhere. What to do when this occurs? First try to draw close to God as He soothes and even at times relieves the situation. I know from experience that trying to determine how I caused this is a futile waste of time and energy.

Realized I was agonizing over my situation while journaling and had failed to do my pastor’s challenge to FIRST THING every morning write 5 gratitudes. Oops, I entertained flesh over discipline there. So I stopped and began to write the five. Then with compassion admitted I do not feel well. Confessed it is hard to focus on the Lord and “Hard to focus on anything” when I get like this. Asked for guidance.

Turned to Jesus Calling devotional by Sarah Young on my iPad. “I want you to learn a new habit. Try saying “I trust You, Jesus,” in response to whatever happens to you.” It goes on to say I am to view events from the perspective of God’s universal and sovereign control, letting fear lose it’s grip. (See Jesus Calling, January 4).

Then I realized that warfare has been raging here for a couple days. (Why do I not recognize it as soon as it begins?) So I was careful to pray the armor of God and Blood of Jesus over me. I journaled, “The matrix of life spins and unfolds. I am held in Your hands. Centered in You nothing can touch me. Hide me in the shadow of Your wings.”

Show wondrously Your acts of loyal love,

O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand

from those who rise up against them.

Keep me as the apple of Your eye

hide me in the shadow of Your wings

from the presence of the wicked who destroy me,

those enemies against my life,

they that surround me.

Psalm 17:7-9

Then I turned to a new favorite gift that Dan sent me a few months ago. “Every Moment Holy”, Volume 1, A Liturgy for the Feeling of Infirmities.” Liturgy used with permission.

Art by Ned Bustard, also available for purchase at same site
"We were not made for mortality but for immortality;
our souls are ever in their prime,
and so the faltering of our physical bodies
repeatedly takes us by surprise.

"The aches, the frailties, the injuries, the
impositions of vexing disease and worsening
condition are unwelcome evidences of our
long exile from the Garden.

"Even so, may the inescapable decline
of our bodies here not be wasted.
May it do its tutoring work, inclining
our hearts and souls ever more vigorously
toward Your coming kingdom, O God.

"While we rightly pray for healing and relief
and sometimes receive the respite
of such blessings, give us also patience
for the enduring of whatever hardships
our journeys entail."

Five stanzas remain. You can purchase the entire liturgy for $1.00 from Rabbit Room at https://www.everymomentholy.com/liturgies#free. Scroll down the page to Individual Liturgies for Purchase, Liturgies for Sorrow and Lament. In drop down window “A Liturgy for” select Feelings of Infirmity. Place in cart. Pay one dollar.

How does this help? My attention and focus have now moved from helplessness at my dilemma to looking to Jesus. When the acute jumps for attention this day I can say, “I trust You, Jesus.” I am reminded that Scripture is still true.

Even to your old age and gray hairs

I am He, I am He who will sustain you.

I have made you and I will carry you;

I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Isaiah 46:4 NIV

And then this passage seems to respond as my heartfelt prayer.

Even when I am old and gray,

do not forsake me, my God,

till I declare Your power to the next generation,

Your mighty acts to all who are to come.

Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,

You who have done great things.

Who is like You, God?

Psalm 71:18-19 NIV

And I hear this song of worship that brings me to stillness.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=xonYvhL12eM&feature=share
Posted on in Challenge, Faith, Journal, Just do it, Poetry, Prayer, Spiritual growth, Yield

WORDSWORTH Stumped me for a bit

I was hearing parts of this poem and it took me a while to get hold of it. FINALLY rediscovered it and want to share it with you. Wordsworth referred to newborn children, but I think he was short-sighted. I think we are all capable at any age of trailing clouds of glory, especially as we determine to spend more time with the Lord.

You may read the entire poem at https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45536/ode-intimations-of-immortality-from-recollections-of-early-childhood

One portion reads:

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,
                      Hath had elsewhere its setting,
                         And cometh from afar:
                      Not in entire forgetfulness,
                      And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
                      From God, who is our home:
Heaven lies about us in our infancy!

How can we capture what Wordsworth says we lost as we aged?

For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed

2 Corinthians 4:5-9 NIV

God made His light shine in our hearts giving us the light of the Knowledge of His glory displayed in the face of Christ. We have this treasure of light in jars of clay. And the cracks in our clay pots is how the light gets out. We shine as Moses shined from being on the mountain if we spend time in God’s presence.

Trailing clouds of glory do we come, from God who is our home. In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:29). He is our resting place (Psalm 62:5). He is our source of life. He is the light of life (John 1:4), the bread of life(John 6:48), the living water (John 4:13-14). The source of our being. He is always to have the glory of this light.

What is your plan for spending more time with God? You might be amazed if you take out 30 minutes of TV and spend it seeking Him. List some gratitudes daily. I mean every single day. Pour your heart out by journaling. If your hands hurt as mine often do, then type. If even that is too hard, open a word document and dictate your heart. The programs for dictation have improved greatly and you will not need to do very much correction when you are finished speaking.

My point is “Just do it.” Make a step to advance your own spiritual growth. Others need to see the clouds of glory that you are aware of. In order to have the courage to share, you need to put them in words at some point. Those almost ‘unsayable experiences’ that are yours need to be shared with others for their encouragement and edification.

Let God form your jar of clay in such a way that God’s all surpassing power flows forth from you to others. He will meet you in the process and you will not be disappointed.

Posted on in Covid 19, Faith, Family, Prayer, Social Distancing, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Yield

Happy New Year!

Today, Monday, January 3, is my first writing day of the year 2022. Things are strange here as far as nature and weather go. The forsythia down the street has started blooming. One of my roses sent up a new shoot. One friend has tulips trying to emerge. We had weather in the 60s. Then 50s. When I did the laundry I could not remember having worn so many short sleeve t-shirts during the month of December! We had a full 24 hours of constant rain. A figure 8 pond formed in the back yard between our house and Angela’s. Eventually most of it drained away. Then a cold front moved in. Overnight temps dropped into the 20s with a wind chill in the teens. The plants are likely thinking, “Weird, indeed!” We are forecast to have accumulating snow by Thursday of this week.

Did you indulge in making resolutions? Have you asked for your word from the Lord yet? Our Pastor referred to that practice in his sermon on Sunday! We have gone back to on-line church as the Omicron variant is running rampant through southwest Ohio as well as the rest of the world.

I am poised to return to online grocery shopping with store parking lot pick up. Here we go again! Another pastime taken away. However, I feel certain our health is worth the cost of relinquishing one or five or even umpteen pleasures.

When we were wondering in October or so what 2022 would hold none of us wanted to believe it would be another variant. Yet, here we are. I sense that underground stream of anxiety that was so prevalent in 2020 and 2021. The asking, “Will we be okay? Will the ones we love who are unvaccinated be okay?” And that is not even considering those impacted with other illnesses!

The Lord assures us,

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

John 14:27 ESV

He gives us His peace and tells us there is something we must do. LET NOT. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. We have a responsibility in that peace giving. Seems we can cancel out that mighty peace by indulging in troubling thoughts and fears. We can be our own peace keeping force!

Useless thoughts spoil everything and much mischief begins there; we ought to reject them as soon as we have perceived their impertinence to the matter in hand and return to our worship of God.

Brother Lawrence

Yes, I am convicted again of my own sinfulness and weakness when it comes to being like Jesus. Father, help me by Your Holy Spirit to be strengthened in my inner being to know Your peace, to live as one who understands Christ dwells in my heart through faith. Keep me rooted and grounded in love. Amen.