Tag: Jesus

  • Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

      Birthday Cake for Jesus
      Reading Christmas Story together

      MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS and Blessings from our home to yours,
      from Steve and Teresa and Skipper too

      Candles lit one by one
      Sacred moments
      Put aside exterior noise and commercial trappings
      Sit down to view birthday cake for Jesus
      One gold candle for the One to be crowned King.

      Focus as family take turns reading out loud verse by verse
      Oldest to youngest join in reciting the Christmas Story – the
      Birth announcement declared in Luke 2
      Rest of the world, life, put on hold
      Sets us back over 2,000 years ago to Bethlehem, the town of David in Judea.

      The angel speaks to Mary,
      Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
      You will be with child and give birth to a son,
      And you are to give him the name Jesus.
      He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
      The LORD God will give him the throne of his father David,
      And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever;
      His kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:29-33)

      Let these sacred words sink in
      Find a place to rest, take hold, germinate, and flourish
      We sing together: “Happy Birthday to You. Happy Birthday to You, dear Jesus.”
      Thank you for coming to earth.
      Thank you for saving my soul and saving the world.

      Thoughts to ponder – think back to how it must have felt for:
      Zechariah and Elizabeth
      Mary and Joseph
      Shepherds watch their flock by night
      Simeon, the Temple priest
      Anna, prophetess, who never left the temple awaiting the Savior

      Emotions:
      Joy, fear, doubt, and elation
      Surprise, confirmation, thankfulness, and devotion
      Trust, praising God in the Highest, brokenness, and pain
      Amazement and relief
      Just to name a few

      ***

    • Crowd

      It’s that time again!

      Time for Five Minute Friday! Five Minute Friday is where you free write for five minutes on the selected prompt! This week’s prompt is Crowd! Ready. Go!

      Five-Minute Friday – CROWD                                       

      I don’t much like a crowd. Even if the crowd is composed of people I know. But especially I don’t care for large crowds of people I know very few of them. Claustrophobia sets in uninvited. The walls shrink. I begin to perspire and become thirsty. Then there’s always diseases to think about. Right now, cold and flu season is upon us which is early this year. It’s only September; what’s up with that? Nothing worse than being miserably cooped up in a room with a drippy nose or needing to stay close to the throne for fear of an accident.

      Maybe this goes hand in hand with not appreciating a crowd, but I don’t go for small talk either. I much prefer sitting down and chatting one on one with someone. This makes me feel special and them too. There’s only so many minutes in a day, week, month, my life that I feel I’m wasting those minutes by small talking in a crowded room. Often, I cannot even catch every word they say due to the noise.

      Jesus had to endure the crowds. Throngs of people invaded His space continually. I do remember that on several occasions, He stepped away. Sometimes hid away to spend precious one on one time with His Heavenly Father. If He needed this alone time; how much more do I need time away from crowds and constant contact with others? Lord, give me the courage and wisdom to pull away on occasion before I unravel. Thank you.

      *****

    • Grip of Despair

      When despair wraps its
      Ugly tentacles around my shoulders.
      Squeezes, squeezes, then
      Squeezes some more.      

      Intense pressure weighs upon my heart.
      Impending doom draws nigh.
      Hope dashed—shroud of darkness envelopes.
      Guard my heart. But, how?
      Decisions made—I have no control.

      Acknowledge crushed dreams.
      Reject despair.
      Yet despair returns full force;
      Multiplied with mighty power.
      No resolve in sight.

      Then I hear a faint whisper,
      Tell it to Jesus.
      Tell it to Jesus.
      There’s no other such a friend or brother,
      Tell it to Jesus alone.

      *****

    • Ready for Adventure?

      Today is day #28 of the Great Loop adventure. And, yes it truly has been an adventure. We’ve seen landscapes, waterways, and sunrises not seen before. Met new Looper people we would never have crossed passed with in our regular, daily life.  Learned to go without embracing the basics of life.                                              img_20160927_140010943_hdr-1

      Let’s stop right here and look up the definition for the word adventure. Here’s what I found for the word adventure:

      • Escapade
      • Quest
      • Journey
      • Exploration
      • Undertaking
      • Exciting activity

      Okay, I am kind of weird. I admit that, but keep tracking with me. I then went on to look up the word exciting. Here’s where the road may diverge for you as it did for me. Here’s a few definitions for the word exciting:

      • Thrilling
      • Exhilarating
      • Stirring
      • Stimulating
      • Electrifying
      • Inciting

      That’s enough. I have felt all of those emotions and I haven’t even been on this trip for a month yet. What does that say about the trip? What does that say about me? I am not sure, but I’ll let you fill in the blanks. I’m just putting it out there for anyone else anticipating or planning such an adventure. It doesn’t even have to be the exact type of adventure we are involved with. When I think about the word electrifying, it does not bring up a positive connotation. Certainly not dull or boring, I’ll give you that much. More like scared to the point of wishing I were anywhere else but standing in my own shoes. Admittedly, I have felt that. Like when we said good-bye (don’t like that word, so I say: see you later) to my daughter and my friends. Those see you later words are so hard to say even though I know it’s only for a year, or in some cases, months until I see their smiling faces and hear their precious voices in person.

      I go through this exercise to share with you my emotions hoping you, too, can relate. Even a simple day’s emotions can range from peace to utter chaos within a short period of time. From tears of sorrow and disappointment to tears of joy. Sometimes without any warning.

      Then God gives me a verse to ponder. To hold onto and call my own: Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence . This is a poignant reminder that He is approachable. He’s not a wizard that sits with a magic wand in never-never land occasionally swooping down to check on his created ones. The book of Hebrews describes this throne with the word grace (unmerited favor, mercy, or kindness). I like the thought of my Creator being available and that He is described with mercy and kindness. The verse goes on further to add that I can approach boldly and in confidence. I need not worry or fret; He’s got my whole life under control and in His competent hands—the Great High Priest.

      What do I take away from this?

      1. Approaching God and His throne is not reserved for nobility
      2. No holding back; no reservations
      3. He’s there for me anytime day or night
      4. God may not take me out of the storm/trial, but He’ll ride through with me

      God already knows all, so why do I hesitate to share my innermost feelings with Him?
      Is there a deep fear you’ve been holding to? One you hesitate to share with anyone?

      Reminds me of a tune I sang as a young girl called, Tell it to Jesus alone (words by Edmund S. Lorenz)

      Are you weary, are you heavy hearted?
      Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus
      Are you grieving over joys departed?
      Tell it to Jesus alone

      Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus
      He is a friend that’s well known
      You’ve no other such a friend or brother,
      Tell it to Jesus alone

      Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow?
      Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus
      Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow?
      Tell it to Jesus alone

    • Finding Sanctuary in Your Life

      While reading through the gospel of Mark, I catch a glimpse of Jesus’ demanding daily schedule. Not only did Jesus feel it important to mentor His chosen disciples, but throngs of people followed Him from town to town. “At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then He healed many,” (Mark 1:32-34). The more miracles He performed, the more people flocked after Him making it difficult to have needed time alone with His heavenly Father.   DSD_0922 [Out West-2011]

      My schedule isn’t nearly as demanding as Jesus’ schedule. Today’s demands take on a somewhat different flavor. There are still meals to prepare, laundry to be cleaned, appointments to keep, and people to satisfy. Demanding either way.

      One thing we do have in common: the need to take the time to reconnect with our roots. To connect with the One who gives me breath and life just as we looked at last time in the book of Mark, chapter 1. Remember those words:

      “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”—Mark 1:35–37.

      I’ve found that the number #1 key to not losing my cool is to stay connected. Get connected. Stay connected. Otherwise, I’m sure to unravel and probably even before 10 a.m.

      •  What’s your solution/key to staying connected?
      •  When is the best time to steal away to a secluded place and lay your burdens down to the God of comfort and healing? Doesn’t have to be early in the morning. What works for you, my friend?

    • You have been created for great things!

      Don’t allow anything to interfere with your love for Jesus. You belong to him. Nothing can separate you from him. That one sentence is important to remember. He will be your joy, your strength. If you hold onto that sentence, temptations and difficulties will come, but nothing will break you. Remember, you have been created for great things. —

      Mother Teresa

    • “What do you want me to do for you?”

      My reading for the day takes me to the story of a blind beggar who receives his sight (Luke 18:35–43). Day after day the beggar sat beside the road. One day a crowd passed by. He asked what all the commotion was about and was told, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”     eye glasses

      The beggar knew in his heart he needed to get near Jesus — one way or the other. But he couldn’t see to make his way in Jesus’ direction.

      So he did the next best thing, he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” The people around him told him to be quiet. They were annoyed with his constant noise making having only their own agenda in mind. He ignored them and continued to shout out Jesus’ name in hopes that his pleas would capture the Son of David’s attention. And his persistence paid off.

      Jesus stopped and asked the beggar, “What do you want me to do for you?” Now that sounds like a leading question if I ever heard one.

      “Lord, I want to see.”

      Jesus said, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God.

      This story makes me think about my own life. God gave me the gift of sight, so I don’t need to ask for eyes to see. But there are things that disturb me that I should be asking for on a daily basis. For instance … the ability to see people through God’s eyes feeling their pain and trying to understand and relate to their needs.

      It helps to remember that God works in supernatural ways and is still the God of the impossible. I must believe he is almighty and willing and able to restore healthy relationships to unity and joy.

      Thank you, God, that you are mighty. You care about me and desire unity in this strained relationship. You created both of us uniquely. Help me to be patient for your perfect timing in restoration. Give me wise words when we are together so I will not hinder the process. Thank you for forgiving me when I sin and falter time and again.

      Is there something that is troubling your soul? Something you’ve been asking God to do for you for a long time? Can you tell him and hold nothing back? Bare your soul to the God of the universe who wants to be your counselor. Allow him to comfort and answer that thing which plagues your soul causing distress and lack of sleep.

      ***

    • 2 steps to Decision Making

      Wrestling with a decision?  — 2 steps to help make that decision:

      1. Seek to discover God’s will. Meditate in order to seek answers and direction. Come aside by yourself and quietly wait before God. “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Jesus’ schedule was hectic even by today’s standards. People pressed around him continually. He knew what the word busy meant.

      In the gospel of Mark, Jesus and his disciples had just finished feeding the 5,000. You would think the people would be satisfied and would leave them alone for a time, but such was not the case. “Because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he [Jesus] said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place” (Mark 6:31, 32).

      2.   Get up and go!  “Arise, let us go from here” There’s a time to contemplate, and a time to do. Don’t linger or daydream anymore. Daydreaming time is over once I know what it is I am to be doing or saying. “But the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commended me. ‘Come now; let us leave’” (John 14:31).

      “Allow God to be the source of all my dreams, joys, and delights, and be careful to go and obey what He has said.” — Oswald Chambers

      Do you have a quiet place where you can be alone with your thoughts and with God? It’s tough to come aside where no distractions bombard your brain. I get that, but you must make a concentrated, deliberate effort to seek out and dwell in this place until your mind is emptied of all but God-thoughts. Then, and only then, can God speak to you uninterrupted. His peace, which passes all understanding, will then guide you to the next step (Philippians 4:7).

      ***

    • Jesus: the Reason for the Season (part II)

      My preparations for the season (so far) consist of running here and there while wearing myself out. I’ve carved so little free time out to just sit and contemplate the real reason for the season. It is Jesus’ birthday and He is the reason for the season. 

      I’m pretty sure the God who sent his Son to die on the cross for our sins is less than pleased when I turn the Christmas season into a chaotic competition. Jesus’ birth in a non-descript stable caused angels to sing and shepherds to follow a star. All of heaven rejoiced at the birth which changed the course of mankind forever.

      Dear God, please forgive me for being so occupied with my own agenda that I fail to acknowledge the giver of the most perfect gift of all. I’m sure glad you weren’t too busy to think of me. Thank you for sending your son to die in my place and for those who believe on your name.

      How about you? Are you taking time during this hectic month to thank God for the indescribable gift in the form of God’s only Son?

      “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)

      *** 

    • Jesus: the Reason for the Season (part I)

       

      “Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” –  Ephesians 4:2–3.  

      Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus
      Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus

      I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time being patient with some people. Maybe it’s the season of the year. Christmas is approaching fast and I don’t have all the gifts purchased yet. The presents I do have are scattered all around my office. The room is a complete disaster. I’m waiting for the neat fairies to descend, wave a magic wand, and all will be categorized, packaged and labeled ready for delivery. I can dream, right?

      Family members can’t make up their minds when they’re available so a Christmas time table can be set. My personality thrives on schedules and unity, and when neither happens, I tend to stress to the max. A gentle spirit rapidly gives way to an abrupt, cool personality. Patience melts into exasperation and love has a hard time finding a home in my heart. The results resemble anything BUT peaceful.

      ***