Weekends in the Word

"Bezalel and Oholiab, along with everyone whom God has given the skill and know-how for making everything involved in the worship of the Sanctuary as commanded by God, are to start to work."

Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab along with all whom God had gifted with the ability to work skillfully with their hands. The men were eager to get started and engage in the work. 

Selected verses from Exodus 36,
"The Message" by Eugene Peterson

Weekends in the Word

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth:

but the word of our God shall stand forever.

Isaiah 40:8

Photo Credits:
Top from Blog Author
Photos 2, 3, and 4 from Sister's camera

Weekends in the Word

Daisy Mums in our side yard - October 2011

What can I give back to God for the blessings he's poured out on me? 

I'll lift high the cup of salvation -- a toast to God!  I'll pray in the name of God; I'll complete what I promised God I'd do, and I'll do it together with his people.

When they arrive at the gates of death, God WELCOMES those who love him.  

Oh, God, here I am, your servant, your faithful servant: set me free for your service!  I'm ready to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice and pray in the name of God.  I'll complete what I promised God I'd do, and I'll do it in company with his people, in the place of worship, in God's house, in Jerusalem, God's city. Hallelujah!

Psalm 116:12-13 The Message

Weekends in the Word

Call unto me and 

I will answer thee 

and will show you great and mighty things

which thou knowest not.

Jeremiah 33:3

This last week we visited our shopping mall where the windows of the Apple store (one of Beloved's favorite haunts) resembled the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.  Colorful sticky notes all over the glass windows held thoughts of remembrance for a man who, although some said was Jewish, was in fact, not.  But he did come from middle-eastern descent.

It is reported, in fact, that he was practicing Buddhism, which makes me sad.  Unless there was a decision to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior before his death, Christians will not see this man ever again.  

Jesus saith unto him,

I am the way,

the truth, and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.

John 14:6

With that said, it is noteworthy to see that God reveals wonderful mysteries to both those who acknowledge Him and also to those who do not.  Steve Jobs is one of those who apparently did not thank God for the insight and ingenuity given to Him in the realm of technology.

Virtually none of us alive today in the USA and most of the world have been untouched by the inventions of this amazing man.  When Jesus told His followers to go into all the world to teach about Him, their imaginations could not even begin to visualize some of the methods in which that charge would be carried out in generations to come.  Even I (an ordinary housewife) am amazed how it has become my privilege and ability to help spread the Gospel via computer/Internet with my blog.  

If you are a Christ-follower, God has a plan for your life that includes sharing what Christ has done for you with those in your sphere of influence.  If you are like me and tend to get the spoken words all jumbled up, then maybe you can write. Or sing.  Or draw. Or ... (you fill in the blank).  Ask God to use you for His glory.  As Jeremiah 33:3 implies, He will show  you things you never even considered to enable you to obey His commands.

Weekends in the Word

Roses from the yard and camera of
Girlfriend-Next-Door
prior to our weekend snowstorm

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,

whatsoever things are honest,

whatsoever things are just,

whatsoever things are pure,

whatsoever things are lovely,

whatsoever things are of good report; 

if there be any virtue,

and if there be any praise,

think on these things.

Philippians 4:8

Like many women, and especially those who have lived a long time, depression is something I experience. I know I am not alone in this admission.  

There are many factors that can cause depression and I will not attempt to figure it all out.  If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ you are not immune to this but at the same time you have the best help there is.  Of that I am absolutely certain.  I will not be glib and say, 'do this, and you will be fine.'  We are such amazing creatures that such a solution would not apply to every person.  I do know that God never leaves us when we feel lonely, lost, bewildered, confused, angry, and anything else you want to call it.  

But in giving it a lot of thought for a long time, I have reached three conclusions that have helped me.

1) Do what God says in His Word -- the Holy Bible.  Obedience to Him has far-reaching ramifications we cannot fathom, that is beyond our imagination.

2) Disciplining ourselves to not dwell on the negative is vastly important.  II Corinthians 10:5 tells us to take captive every thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (every thought that goes against what we know to be true about God and His will) and hand that  thought over to Jesus Christ Himself.  

3) Forgive.  Forgive even if the other person has not asked for forgiveness.  Some never will.  Some will avoid asking us to forgive them by trying to make it up to us with kindness.  Although that is not the same as truly clearing the air with a sincere, heartfelt apology, with some people that is all we will ever get.  God will deal with them if they are in the wrong.  (He never lets me get away with stuff, so He won't let them, either.)  Sometimes we just have to shake our heads and pray as did our Lord at the cross, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)   Also remember that we have been forgiven by God for everything we have done, are doing, and will ever do; therefore we have no right to be unforgiving toward anyone.

Yes, there are medical [physical] factors that cause depression, but I believe we will one day learn at the feet of Jesus that by far and away, the majority of depression is of a spiritual origin, more so than one of physiology.  

Weekends in the Word

And the earth brought forth grass,

and herb yielding seed after its kind,

and the tree yielding fruit, 

whose seed was in itself,

after his kind: 

and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:12 KJV

Isn't it amazing how many seeds our Creator God packs into a single slice of Kiwi to ensure that more Kiwi will grow?  Upon close inspection, I can see no less than 30 black seeds in this single slice.  We enjoyed this fruit yesterday from a gift basket Beloved's office sent to him in the hospital.  

Note, too, the vibrant color of the Kiwi flesh.  See how striking the green is against the tiny black seeds.  The shine from the juiciness of the fruit makes my mouth water.  

O taste and see that the LORD is good:

blessed is the man that

trusteth in him.

Psalm 34:8

Weekends in the Word

With long life I will satisfy him,

and shew him my salvation.

Psalm 91:16

This is turning out to be a very interesting weekend for us.  This evening we were among the guests for a gentleman's 90th birthday party.  Tomorrow we plan to attend the funeral for a man who was just about the same age when he died this past Wednesday.  

Both men are strong Christ-followers who have lived interesting lives, had happy and enduring marriages, and raised children to love and honor God. It can be done -- a man can live to honor the Lord God and celebrate a life well-lived.  It has been done with older generations, and it can be done now.  

A personal relationship with Jesus Christ makes all the difference.

Repose

Yesterday I just had to stop the bus and get off for a while, if you know what I mean.

I got up and prepared to face the day but my happy face could not be found. Beloved held me close and suggested I stay home to rest.  I agreed with him.  He drove off to church while I changed my clothes into something that would agree with spending a quiet morning at home alone.  

Those "pop quizzes" I posted about yesterday have been such rude interruptions that I just needed time to lay down, think, and seek refuge in God's Word.  This happens in the Christian life and it is not sin when we need to retreat for a while to reflect.

A few years ago while in a Beth Moore Bible study (forgive me, I don't remember which one it was), she spoke about a time when things were tough for her. She clung so strongly to God's Word that she literally lay her head on her Bible at night and carried index cards with appropriate scriptures everywhere she went.  

With that in mind,  I carried my computer up to my study where I set it up beside my comfy chair and ottoman, complete with several small pillows and a snuggly blanket (or 3, actually).  Once established in my chair, I went to Bible Gateway and looked up Psalm 119 (the longest chapter in the Bible that is also very instructional and comforting).  Then at the bottom of the scripture passage, there was a gray box for an audio reading.  I clicked on that, then lay back to listen.  

Tears flowed at times as God's Words ministered to my soul.  At times I echoed what was being said, prayed for wisdom, affirmation, and forgiveness. I praised God for saying in this Psalm some of the same things I was feeling.  I dozed off and on, too, peacefully in the arms of the Lord.  As it turned out, the audio did not stop at the end of Psalm 119, but continued on until the end of the book at Psalm 150.  It was wonderful.  I highly recommend it when you have things on your mind, questions, hurts, dismay and dilemmas.

Do not write to ask me what is on my mind.  I share this with you because we ALL have perplexing times in our lives when the best solution is time alone with God our Maker -- the One Who created us and knows what we need for remedy.  Perhaps this idea is something that will be of encouragement to you.

Weekends in the Word

"Pop Quiz!  Get out your Number 2 pencil!"  

Those were not my favorite words when I was in school.  Probably the same goes for you, too.  And yet we get 'pop quizzes' in life all the time.  Why did I ever think that once my formal school years were behind me, life would be a lot easier and the answers would not be a struggle?  

Not only do I still have spelling words to trouble me now (words and definitions that did not exist 40-some years ago), but there are math exams in the grocery store aisle when my iPod is buried at the bottom of my purse.  Then there are the quizzes to remember important birth dates, and social studies questions about how to best relate to people to get a project done AND be nice about it in the process.  Even while blogging there are questions about punctuation and word usage.

Did you know that the Bible speaks about these unexpected little tests that pop up in our lives?  I Peter 3:15 in The Message phrases it especially well:

Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy.  

Wow. I have failed that one of late.  

We are to be alert and of a sober mind.  Our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (see I Peter 5:8)

There is absolutely no getting around it -- we will have tests in life until the moment we step into Glory.  When we fail the exams, we are to admit it to God, and then do better the next time, having learned from the experience.  

Lord, help us all!  (and He will!)

Countdown to Knee Replacement Surgery

It's been weeks since I mentioned that Beloved will be having knee replacement surgery.  The doctor tried to schedule it for early this month, but we wanted to check off a few items on our "to do" list first.  Those things are pretty much done now, so we are gearing up for this 'adventure' in less than two weeks.  We intend to approach this with as much of a sense of humor as we can, since a merry heart is good medicine. 

Yesterday Beloved saw our family doctor for his pre-op physical. Everything is checking out fine.  He's been advised to stop taking all his supplements and herbal pills until after the surgery to avoid any unpleasant interactions.  He continues with the prescriptions for blood pressure and such.  Next week we will both go to the hospital for a 90-minute class to learn what to expect. 

In doing research for this particular blog post, I came across a welcome message from A.B. Simpson at Gospel.com.  He is commenting on the above-mentioned Bible verse found in Proverbs 17:22, A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Here is what he had to say:

King Solomon left among his wise sayings a prescription for sick and sad hearts, and it is one that we can safely take. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. 

Joy is the great restorer and healer. Gladness of spirit will bring health to the bones and vitality to the nerves when all other tonics fail and all other sedatives cease to quiet. 

Are you ill? Begin to rejoice in the Lord, and your bones will flourish like an herb, and your cheeks will glow with the bloom of health and freshness. Worry, fear, distrust, care-all are poisonous! 

Joy is balm and healing, and if you will but rejoice, God will give power. He has commanded you to be glad and rejoice, and He never fails to sustain His children in keeping His commandments. Rejoice in the Lord always, He says. 

This means no matter how sad, how tempted, how sick, how suffering you are, rejoice in the Lord just where you are-and begin this moment. The joy of the Lord is the strength of our body, The gladness of Jesus, the balm for our pain, His life and His fullness, our fountain of healing, His joy, our elixir for body and brain.

I love this message!  I hope that it is an encouragement as you face whatever challenges God has allowed in your life today.

Quoting my Son-in-Law

"It was  hard to settle on anything because of the volume."  

Last night we had an iChat (computer-video-type conversation) with our grandson and his parents.  They had just got home from celebrating grandson's birthday at a well-known pizza restaurant that is popular with young children.  We had a pre-arranged time for this conversation, but our daughter called to say they had not left the restaurant yet and she hoped we could do the call soon.

About an hour later we got to see our happy and excited little boy, telling us about the birthday gifts he had received, thanking us for what we had given to him, and then asking if he could now talk to his other grandparents.  (smile)

He ran off to play and we got just a few minutes with his parents.  That was when our son-in-law made the telling comment about the volume (noise!) in the restaurant.  Communication was difficult; plans were hard to carry out.  Beloved and I had to smile because as older adults we of course are well aware of that atmosphere, having been a part of that scene when our children were that age.  Now our adult children were coming to the same realization.  

This morning while reading my Bible I was enjoying the peace and quiet of our home.  The message God had for me in His Word came through easily today.  Some days it's harder to grasp.  I thought about my son-in-law's statement last night.  

The volume of life easily crowds out those things we really need to hear, those things we need to understand, those things we need to do or change.  Reverence for God is often hard to do because of all the clamoring of people and calendars that would pull us away from what is really important.

We need to be pro-active in finding that quiet place EVERY DAY to read God's Word and talk with Him.  The enemy of our souls will do all he can to thwart this, but we must make time with God a priority.  To do so makes a huge difference in the direction our lives take.

Weekends in the Word

First Baptist Church in  Bettendorf, Iowa

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found,

call ye upon him while he is near:

Let the wicked forsake his way, 

and the unrighteous man his thoughts:

and let him return unto the LORD,

and he will have mercy upon him;

and to our God, 

for he will abundantly pardon.

Isaiah 55:6-7

What Women Really Want

Left to right: Jerry, Woody, and Danny
(friends of my sister and me)

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is 

for brethren to dwell together in unity! 

Psalm 133:1

No, I'm not making fun of scripture, but this picture I took a few days ago while visiting Small Town America reminds me of Psalm 133:1.  

I have observed Beloved sitting with different groups of men over the past several days, talking about politics, farming, travel, sports (i.e. football) and whatever else good Christian men think of to discuss.  I didn't see a single can of beer and no swear words were spoken.  Pants were held up on the hip with a belt, shirts were clean and in good condition with no offensive slogans across their chests, and hair was cut to styles that did not require an unmanly amount of time in front of the mirror.

Have men any idea how refreshing and revitalizing it is to women and children to see them behave as the creatures God meant them to be?  The juvenile behavior of grown men in the television beer commercials over the last several years is nauseating.  

Back in the days of the Bible, when a boy reached the age of twelve, he was considered a young man and expectations on his behavior was high.  Now we have to put up with males (I can't call them 'men') who are in their thirties who still don't know what they want to do with their lives, so they play around with sex, alcohol, drugs, and gross foolishness.  Many of them sense no responsibility at all to provide for themselves, to be teachable and humble, to care for women and children, and to be an example of virtue for the younger ones who are watching (and believe me, they are!).  

Men don't have to be drop-dead handsome to appeal to most women or to make a good name for themselves.  What women (and the world) really want and need are men who can think and express themselves intelligently, who are hard-workers at worthwhile pursuits, and without needing to ponder it, will give up their pleasures for the welfare of others.  

Get Well Card

"Rock Hound Widow" (pseudonym)  had surgery yesterday to remove cataracts from both  eyes.  This is the card we sent, made of gentle shades intended to be restful.

Here are the supplies used:

- white base card and envelope from a value pack of notecards by the Paper Studio (Archivers, $6.99 for 50)

- Sea shell paper (Archivers, Hobby Lobby, or JoAnn Fabrics & Crafts -- I don't remember which)

- deep red pearlized card stock from JoAnn Fabrics & Crafts

- scrap of white card stock left over from some previous project -- save your scraps!!


- Light House and Relax stamps from Studio112 K & Company (Michaels)

-Sea Shell 3-D chipboard sticker by K & Company

- Get Well Soon rubber stamp by Inkadinkadoo (JoAnn Fabrics & Crafts)

- white ribbon is leftover from a previous project -- keep all scraps of ribbon; you never know when they will come in handy.


- Jet Black Archival ink by Ranger

- Versa Color 38 Sky Blue ink

- Gelly Roll Stardust Clear Roll-on Glitter (2 pens for $3.69 at Hobby Lobby)* this is one of my favorite card-making supplies!!!


- Embossing Heat Tool Model 2500 by Marvy Uchida (Archivers, $25-$30 and worth every cent!)

- a'la Mode Clear Embossing Powder by Hampton Art

If you want to really be an instrument of encouragement to your recipients, include an appropriate Bible verse with your signature.  This gives your dear one something of eternal value upon which to meditate while they rest and recover.

 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, 

from whence cometh my help.

 My help cometh from the LORD, 

which made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1 - 2

Weekend Meditation

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

photography by Grateful Grammy Summer 2010

This past week in my life continued to be full of much activity, culminating with the news about Hurricane Irene.  In the midst of it all, Girlfriend-Next-Door sent a lovely poem I want to share with you.  She is working with a team of gals at her church to prepare a fall retreat.  

Come to the silence, life is so loud -- And your soul needs a break from the clock and the crowd.

Come to the silence, And let my love start, To heal all life's hurts, And comfort  your heart.


Come to the silence, Be calm and be still, Just rest in my arms -- for today, that's my will ...


Come to the silence, In search of my  peace, Gently your doubts and your fears will all cease.


Come to the silence,  Here, take my hand, Have you forgotten that I understand?

-- Author Unknown

Law of the Harvest

tomatoes in our yard

Cherry tomatoes picked fresh from the vine are like nature's candy to me.  Our large tomato plant has not been very good this year, but the cherry tomatoes are poppin' out every day with flavor that makes my lips smack and my palate yearn for more.  Next year I'm not going to even bother with the larger tomatoes but will be satisfied with what looks to me like a summer version of a Christmas tree: a big green leafy vine bent over it's supports with many tiny red orbs.

Be not deceived; 

God is not mocked:

for whatsoever a man soweth,

that shall he also reap.

Galatians 6:7

Dr. Charles Stanley has 30 Life Principles about which he preaches often.  Life Principle Number 6 says, "You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow." This applies to all of us, whether we are Christians or not, in our behavior, our banking, our gardens -- anything.  I think about it when I pull the luscious tomatoes off the vines and pop them into my mouth.

Somebody pushed a tomato seed into the soil.  A single seed.  In time it sprouted and grew, and eventually became big enough to sell at our local nursery.  I bought the plant and gave it a  home in an old wood whiskey barrel in a sunny spot of our back yard.  More time passed, along with daily sunshine and regular watering.  Small yellow flowers began to appear, followed by tiny green globes that grew bigger and turned red.  Many red tomatoes waited to be picked.  More tomatoes continue to pop out even though only one plant was put into the barrel.   

Each bite into these tiny fruits reveal a number of seeds inside each one;  every single one has many times more seeds inside of it.  I am reaping much MORE than I planted, and months LATER than planted.  But I am receiving tomatoes -- which is what the original seed was.  The Law of the Harvest.

As I grow older, I can look back over my life and what I know of the lives of others to see this same principle in action.  We all have some irresponsible or objectionable seeds that we have planted and suffered the resulting crops.  We also have good habits that are proving themselves beneficial with the passage of time.

It's never too late to plant good seeds in our lives.  Some of them reach harvest time pretty quickly while others will take longer, or may not be evident until we are long gone.  All I know is that this Law of the Harvest is profound and I want to make the best of it now for the good of myself, my family, my friends, and certainly for the good of God's Kingdom.

Running Free

Yesterday Milk Maid and Stone (pseudonyms of good friends) took a day off to drive out into the wilderness to let their dogs run.

Here one of our canine friends runs with sheer delight unhindered by leash, fence, oncoming traffic, or his owners.

Having run himself out, he found a shady spot to rest before taking off again.

Today's post isn't just about the free spirit of dogs.  Beloved and I are still tender of heart regarding the death of S'Maverick just a few days ago.  But when Milk Maid emailed these pictures to us, I had to smile and think of the promise God has given us in Revelation 21:4,

God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;

and there shall be no more death,

neither sorrow, nor crying,

neither shall there be any more pain;

for the former things are passed away.

It's okay for us to shed the tears, even though we are Believers and know our future includes fellowship with this dear friend again.  She has gone on to greater things; here we are within the boundaries of earth, minus the companionship of a dear one.  

But it won't always be like this for those who have accepted Jesus as our personal Savior.   Praise God!

Sunday Scripture

The grass withereth,

the flower fadeth:

but the word of our God

shall stand forever.

Isaiah 40:8