Love one another.....

 Do you know that the Bible has almost one thousand messages about love? 

That is a lot so it must be that love is an important issue for us!  Consider these:

You should love your neighbor as yourself.  (Matthew 19:19)

Love your enemies...   (Matthew 5:44)

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind.   (Luke 10:27)

Even the Beatles sang that all we need is love!  My daily devotional was for John 15:12 which is that you love one another as I have loved you.  That's a pretty tall order considering the magnitude of God's love for us.

I couldn't get a song out of my head all morning so I did some research and found a version of it on YouTube.  It is a song by The Youngbloods titled "Get Together" and the verse that kept running through my head was "come on people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together, try and love one another right now".

I think we all know the benefits of peace and love - so let's get to work on it!   In the meantime, enjoy this video I found on YouTube.  The beginning ad is just a few seconds long and the person who made the video originally tagged it as Buffalo Springfield but the rest of the images are great!  Enjoy!

(click below then click on the link that comes up to bring you to the video)

Youngbloods - Get Together 

Do not worry.....

In my teen years, I remember my dad's den.  This was a room of contradictions - it was a place of quiet reflection or stern contemplation, it was a place of relaxation or possibly apprehension, it was a place you wanted to be or dreaded to be.  You see, my dad never physically punished us.  He used the words "I am so disappointed in you..."  and whatever situation we found ourselves in became a character building experience.  Have I said already that God gave us the absolute greatest parents in the world?  Because he really did!

Anyway, there was a picture hanging on the wall in the den and I think it is this same man praying and the saying on the picture is "I have had a lot of worries in my life but most of them never happened."  This has been one of my mantras for years (more than I wish to number!)  Whenever a worrisome event occurs in my life, I pause and reflect on this saying and it really helps put things in perspective for me.

My mom lives this saying!  I remember many times in our adult friendship together when she said "I am leaving this in God's hands" and she did!  The situation resolved itself in the way God intended and Mom was satisfied with that.  (What is so amazing is that my mom is a person who likes to be in control.  This speaks volumes to me about her faith...)  Although I haven't had this conversation with Mom, I watched her throughout Dad's illness and, as difficult as it had to have been for her, she left it in God's hands.  Mom loved Dad so much every single day (and still does) but her faith in God is allowing her to accept and move on.  Once again, God is providing us with this greatest example from His loving servant!  For Psalms 48:14 says "that this is God, our God forever and ever.  He will be our guide forever."

For some reason, I was reading Luke this morning and I just couldn't put it down.  I came to Chapter 12:22-25 and found this under the heading "Do Not Worry"

[Jesus] said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.  For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.  Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds!  And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to span your life?

It was like God and my mother talking to me at the same time!  I am just grateful it was about a good thing....

Somewhere in my parents' move from Hooksett to Northwood, the picture has been misplaced.  I have already called dibs on it!  So, one of these days it will show up and then I can hang it in my house.  I wonder if it will even be this same praying man?  But I think it might because my sister has this same picture (the one above) hanging in her kitchen.  That cannot be a coincidence, can it?

Until then, I am thankful for the message and for the example! 

A time to laugh....

....or so it says in Ecclesiastes 3:4

This weekend, my sister and I got to talking about Dad and our experiences in the last month of his life.  Dad was gracious and respectful and caring to all that crossed his path but especially so in the hospital and in hospice – family, visitors, caregivers and volunteers.  We started sharing a particularly funny story from the hospital with friends at a party.

One of the symptoms of Dad’s illness was dementia.  Dad had always been able to talk for hours with others suffering from dementia or Alzheimers.   We asked him once how he was able to do this and Dad said that he just joined that person in whatever decade they were remembering!  Such a simple thing to do!  So one day in the hospital, Dad started talking and we realized that he was running an athletic booster club meeting.  After his opening comments, he opened the floor to questions or comments.  Dad asked about three times and I kept thinking about Dad telling us that he just joined in the conversation.  So I finally answered him.  “I have some concerns with the girls volleyball team,” I said.  My mom and my sister were also in the room and they looked at me like I was crazy!  Dad asked me to elaborate so I did and talked about attendance at the games and that we needed to do something to increase it.  Dad looked at Mom and Kathy and said “This lady has a good point.”  and kept on talking.  In the meantime, Kathy and I started looking for music on our phones because music always calming to Dad.  But we were not being successful and Dad didn’t miss a beat.  He announced to the “meeting” that the music committee was having difficulties so maybe we should just move on to refreshments.  Kathy and I were rolling on the floor with laughter while trying to control ourselves – and get our music working! 

Once again, we were laughing uncontrollably at the memory!  My parents always had a sense of humor, they probably had to develop one with six children to raise.  There has never been a shortage of laughter when we are together as a family and I like to think I am teaching my own children the value of a good laugh.  I always tell newlyweds that the best piece of advice for a good marriage is to keep a sense of humor.  And when I see a situation escalating, I use humor to diffuse the tension whenever I can.  And I think it has been proven that laughter is the best medicine!

I think God supports that too.  Although the bible doesn’t talk a lot about laughter, it does mention joy and happiness!  Check out these verses:

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful." (Proverbs 15:13)

"The cheerful heart has a continual feast." (Proverbs 15:15)

"Everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee." (Isaiah 35:10)

"For I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow." (Jeremiah 31:13)

"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." (Luke 2:10)

"Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh." (Luke 6:21)

"Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." (John 16:24)

So I think God is telling us to keep it light and to keep on laughing!  I know I will!

PS:  Forgot to point out yesterday that there are 7 petitions in The Lord's Prayer.  Remember 7?  Spiritual perfection!  Just thought I'd point it out.....

Lord, teach us to pray...

I have always loved reciting The Lord's Prayer!  This is the first real prayer I was taught as a child and it has always been my go-to prayer when I couldn't think of what else to say.  Most of my praying these days is a conversation with God and Jesus and (most recently) the Holy Spirit, either singularly or to all at the same time!  But for the last few months, I have started each and every day with the Lord's Prayer.
 
Why is that, you might wonder.  As I was spending time with my dad and my family during Dad's journey with CJD, we learned that Dad loved to say The Lord's Prayer and that it had a very calming effect on him.  I started thinking about the words in the prayer and, upon reflection, realized that it really is the most perfect of prayers.

A version of the prayer appears in both Matthew (6:9-13) and in Luke (11:1-4) and in both of these cases it is Jesus teaching others how to pray.  In Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples to guard against hypocrisy and wordiness and pridefulness.  Jesus tells them that the "Father knows what you need before you ask him."  Our prayers with God are not a show for others but should be a private conversation with God.  In Luke, Jesus again taught the disciples how to pray and then told them to persevere in their prayer.

 The main point is that we should spend alone time with God each day, sharing our day, both our joys and our concerns.  Often times, Jesus went off by himself to spend time with God.


 
So what is the substance of prayer?  It looks like we need to recognize that God is holy and that we believe and desire His covenant with us.  We can depend on God to help us daily and forgiveness is important - and it works both ways!  God will forgive us as we forgive others!  And don't forget to ask for God's help in keeping us away from evil and temptation because our ultimate reward is so worth it!

God doesn't ask us to learn and repeat the same prayer over and over, He is looking for a conversation with us, time alone with us, and for the conversation to continue always! 

So keep on talking with God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit and know that they love hearing from you!  I will keep you in my prayers!  And Dad, when you hear me reciting the Lord's Prayer, it is in your memory!
      

A pansy for your thoughts!

Check it out, the picture that is!  It is a card!  I found it at the store the other day and decided immediately I needed to send it to my mom.  I knew she would love it as much as I do and I wanted to let her know that I am thinking of her.  I have been home in Houston for almost a month and spent the previous two months in New Hampshire with Mom.  I really miss her!

The card says that pansies always stand for thoughts.  I'd never heard that before so I turned to my old friend Google!  Did you know the name pansy comes from a French word 'pensee' which means thought.  It was named so because the flower resembles a human face and in August it leans forward as if the flower is deep in thought.  The original pansy is made up of the three colors purple, white, and yellow.  These colors are thought to symbolize memories, loving thoughts, and souvenirs.

I also found out that pansies are also considered flowers of remembrance and a symbol of togetherness and union.  I love this visual!  This is the perfect flower for mom and me and the rest of my family too!  Pansies are so appropriate for remembering those who have passed from our lives.  For us, that is Dad.

I sent Mom a package of pansy seeds and I have a package of the same seeds so that we can grow them together.  Somehow this makes me feel more connected to Mom.  I didn't know about the memory connection when I sent the seeds but now it makes me doubly glad I did!

Another name for the pansy is that of “herb trinity,” with its three colorful petals acting as symbols for the Holy Trinity.  And there is our Lenten connection!  In Psalms 86:17 it says "Show me a sign of your favor... because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me."  Forevermore, the pansy will be a source of comfort and remembrance for me!

PS:  I am going away for the weekend so no blogs for the next few days!  

I'm in Seventh Heaven.....

A rainbow has seven colors!  And, God told Noah in Genesis 9:13 "I have set my (rain)bow in the clouds and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and earth."  So every time you see a rainbow, it is God sending you a visible sign that he remembers his covenant with us!

The number 7 appears so many times in the bible and speaks to spiritual perfection.  It is the day that God rested from creating the earth and the list goes on.  Let me refer you to the Bible Study Site for more amazing "7" facts!  (Just click on the underlined words to get there.  It will take you to a new window so you won't lose this one...)  

I, of course, need to point out the mathematical implications because that's just me.  These also come from the same website:

• Seven occurs 287 times, or 7 x 41.
• "Seventh," the fractional part, occurs 98 times, or 7 x 14.
• "Seven-fold," occurs 7 times.
• The above three numbers together are of course a multiple of seven, but a very remarkable one, 287 + 98 + 7 = 392, and 392 is 7² + 7³, or 8 times the square of seven (7²x8).
• Then again seven, in combination with other numbers, is remarkable, such as Fifty and seven, a Hundred and seven, etc. There are 112 of these combinations, or 7 x 16.
• "Seventy" occurs 56 times, or 7 x 8.
• "Seventy," in combination with other numbers, occurs 35 times, or 7 x 5.

So interesting, right?  Well, it is for a geek like me!  And coincidence, I think not....

But that is not what brought me to the number 7 today.  For the second day in a row, God led me to read from 2 Peter 1:5-11 and both times I realized that the number 7 was involved.  This passage tells us what we need to do to escape corruption and become participants of the divine nature. 

For this very reason, you must make every effort to

1. support your faith with goodness,
2. and your goodness with knowledge,
3. and knowledge with self-control,
4. and self-control with endurance,
5. and endurance with godliness,
6. and godliness with mutual affection,
7. and mutual affection with love.

For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For anyone who lacks these things is short-sighted and blind and forgetful of the cleansing of past sins.  Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble.  For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.

 This totally speaks to me of spiritual perfection!  Definitely words to think about!

Love to all and blessings to you this beautiful day!

Good friends are like stars.....

... you don't always see them but you know they are always there!

Last night I was talking with one of my best friends and we got to talking about the old TV show The Golden Girls and how we can just watch the same episodes over and over and always still laugh and smile!  I woke up this morning still thinking about that!  And that made me think about how important my friendships are...

1. I love that I can say "one of my best friends"!  This means I have more than one and I absolutely do.  I don't have a ton (of best friends) but I do have a handful and all are special in their own way.  Some I talk with frequently and others not as frequently but they all enrich my life as, hopefully, I enrich theirs!
2. The reason we can enjoy The Golden Girls no matter how many times we see the show is because these women portrayed the best in friendship and this always makes us warm and fuzzy.  They had fun, they did so many things together and they ate cheesecake - that has to be a cornerstone of a great friendship!  But they also argued and had disagreements.  They managed to always forgive one another any transgression because their love transcended all.  I have friends like that, too!
3. I tried to picture putting together my own group of golden girls and realized that each of my friends could play any of the TV roles!  I am truly blessed to have such a group of friends - strong, smart, kind, generous, caring and loving.  
4. The Golden Girls also showed that age is not relevant in your choice of friends, it's character that really counts.  One of my greatest blessings is the deep friendship I enjoy with my own mother.  When I was a young person growing up, Mom was indeed my mom.  But as I flourished in adulthood (a nicer way of saying got older!) we started talking more about our lives, sharing opinions and recipes and laughs.  I think the combination of mother-daughter and friend relationship gives us the deepest connection, one I so love and appreciate and celebrate!  (My daughter and I are now starting on that same path and I am forever grateful for my mother being the perfect role model for this change.  Thanks, Mom!)
5. I learned from watching the show that best friends are gifts.  We don't know who or where to look, we just need to recognize when it happens and to celebrate the moment!  You never know when you might meet your next friend - at home, at school, at a party, at work, at church, at the grocery store or through your own children or other friends!  And good friends are not chosen by race or sex or religious preference, your friends can span all of humanity! And always you should marry your best friend!
6. Friends are important because they accept each other for who they are.  Friends are important because they allow the space to share ideas in their formative states and provide valuable feedback.  And friends are important because they can agree to disagree without losing each other!  (A good friend will tell you if you have food stuck in your teeth or there is a spot on your shirt!)

God recognizes the importance of having friends in our lives.  In John 15:13 Jesus says "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."  He continues on in verse 15 to say the "I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from the Father."   Best friends have each others' backs and we share our secrets.  Just as the Holy Trinity always has our backs, they also deal in the truth, even if it hurts!  (Proverbs 27:6 "Well meant are the wounds a friend inflicts..." )

Friends are sacred and special and an important gift to us.  They can make the difference between a great day and a not-so-great day.  They can be a source of delight and a never-ending fountain of comfort.  I am so grateful for each and every friend in my life and thank God for allowing me to find them!  May we heed Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians when he says "Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing."  1Thessalonians 5:11

And, you know who you are,  thank you for being a friend!

 

Very simply, Psalm 139 says it all....

      Today is a beautiful day.  The sun is shining, the skies hold white and fluffy clouds, the temperature is perfect, and a slight breeze is blowing.  I took my dog for a walk and we saw two cranes at the pond, the turtles were sunning themselves on the rocks and the ducks were lazily swimming in the pond.  This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!  I love this phrase from the bible, Psalms I think.  So I go looking and, sure enough, it is Psalms 118: 24.  

      The best part is that I stumbled across Psalm 139!  It basically says that God is always with us.  I think it was written by David (who I think wrote many of the Psalms) and I just was reading about David and Saul this morning.  I noticed that Saul was very depressed about the way his life was going.  After all, God had chosen him to be a king to God's people and everything was falling apart for Saul - all of his own doing because he forgot to obey God and decided to go his own way.  Really, Saul, did you forget that God is always with you and you need only ask for his help?  

      Well, Psalm 139 is reminding us that God is always with us.  It is beautiful and I have included it below.  This really needs no additional commentary.  Just enjoy it and remember it!  Have a blessed day!

 

Psalm 139

¹O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
²You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.
³You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
⁴Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.
⁵You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.
⁷Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?
⁸If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
⁹If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
¹⁰even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast.
¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night,”
¹²even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.
¹³For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.
¹⁵My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.
¹⁷How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸I try to count them—they are more than the sand; I come to the end—I am still with you.

HOLY SPIRIT, BATMAN!

I was doing my bible study this morning and it dawned on me that I pray to God and I pray to Jesus but I never call on the Holy Spirit.  This caused me to wonder what do I really know about the Holy Spirit?

I know that there is one true God and that he is represented by the Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  I know that the sign of the cross is "in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit".  I know these things from my good Christian upbringing!

But when I pray, I very seldom pray to the Holy Spirit - only prayers in church might include this third member of the trinity.  When I pray on my own, I really only talk to God and to Jesus.  So (being the math major again!) I'm now wondering if I am only getting two thirds of the value on my praying!  

Well, my grandmother would be very disappointed in me for not getting the full value so today I decided to do a little research on the Holy Spirit.  If I know more about him then maybe I will allow Him to actively become a part of my spiritual life!  I use "Him" because my research tells me that the Holy Spirit has all the same characteristics as God - loving, kind, gracious, generous, caring and spiritual.  So we should think of the Holy Spirit in the same way that we reflect on God.  

As I said before, the Holy Spirit is part of the Holy Trinity.  So He is the spirit of God.  Did you know that His Spirit has been with us on earth as early as Genesis?  And that this spirit has been faithful to God's people all throughout the Old Testament and is still here with us today!  I know I will be including the Holy Spirit in all my prayers starting today!

Have a good rest of today....


PS:  Here is some more information I found about how we symbolize the Holy Spirit and it includes some scripture references.  I got it from this link Symbols (but I also cut and paste it here in case you don't want to go elsewhere!) 

In our churches, religious art, and liturgical prayers, we use a variety of symbols to represent the Holy Spirit, all of which come from the Bible. Here are some of those symbols.

One of the most common symbols of the Holy Spirit is a dove. It comes from the story of Jesus' baptism, when Jesus saw “the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.” (Mark 1:10) The other three Gospel writers use similar wording to describe the event (see Matthew 3:16, Luke 3:22, and John 1:32).

Fire is another popular representation of the Holy Spirit. The fire that appeared on Pentecost (Acts of the Apostles 2:3) was reminiscent of the burning bush on Mount Sinai from which God spoke to Moses. (Exodus 3:2) During the Exodus, the people of God were led by a pillar of fire at night. (Exodus 13:21) Fire calls attention to the strength and force of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is also represented by wind. In fact, the original Hebrew and Greek words for “Spirit” can be translated as “wind.” The wind that appeared on Pentecost (Acts of the Apostles 2:2) was reminiscent of the wind that blew over the waters at the beginning of Creation. (Genesis 1:2) The wind calls attention to the Holy Spirit breathing life into the Church.

Water signifies birth and life. From a faith perspective, it represents the cleansing and life-giving action of the Holy Spirit at Baptism. (Matthew 3:11; John 3:5) The symbolism of water is addressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (#694):

As "by one Spirit we were all baptized," so we are also "made to drink of one Spirit." (1 Cor 12:13) Thus the Spirit is also personally the living water welling up from Christ crucified (Jn 19:34; 1 Jn 5:8) as its source and welling up in us to eternal life. (Cf. Jn 4:10-14; 7:38; Ex 17:1-6; Isa 55:1; Zech 14:8; 1 Cor 10:4; Rev 21:6; 22:17)
The cloud is used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit because clouds provide life-giving water. In the Old Testament, God often leads his people with a cloud or appears to them in a cloud. (Exodus 16:10) The image of a cloud is often combined with the image of light to symbolize the God who is hidden and mysterious but also revealing and luminous.

Anointing with oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit's uniting us with Jesus, the Messiah, the Anointed One. (Acts of the Apostles 10:38; 1 John 2:20-27)

Official documents in the past (Nehemiah 9:38; Esther 8:8), and some documents today, were sealed with hot wax. Then an imprint was made on the wax with the official seal of the person sending the document. In a similar way, we are “sealed” by the Holy Spirit to show that we are forever part of God's family. (Song of Songs 8:6; John 6:27)

Change the channel....

 ... you control the remote!

Just a short note today about something I heard on the radio that makes so much sense.  I heard it on the way to church and my husband heard it on the way to the hardware store and we both told each other at the same time!  So it is noteworthy!

Joel O'Steen was on the radio.  He was talking about negative feelings and how much power they have.  We will always remember a negative comment made about us and even fret over it while we may or may not think too long over a positive comment.  I thought how right he is!  If I do something and lots of people thank me but one person has a complaint, I walk away from the task worrying about the complaint, no matter how small or trivial or unfounded that statement may have been.  

Joel said that we have a tendency to pull up a chair with a bowl of popcorn and start reliving all the negative moments of our life.  But then he reminded us that there is another channel, one that plays our positive moments.  We are in charge of the remote control so just change the channel!

Spend time reviewing your positive accomplishments in life and gain a better attitude!

Now to watch the cooking channel to see if that can help.....

Don't Let Emotions Rule Your Life!

Today I was reading in 1 Samuel about Saul and David.  Saul was the first human king of the Israelites because they wanted to be like the other tribes.  God chose Saul but then Saul started to become an emotional ruler letting things like pride and greed and lust and jealously get in the way of ruling for the Lord.  Saul would do things that were not in tune with his covenant with God and then tried to explain it away with lies - lies to God!  Really?  Because God doesn't know all and see all?  Seriously, Saul!  Although this same thing happens over and over through the Bible - at least so far as I've read - so Saul isn't the only one a sheep short of a flock!

David is from David and Goliath fame!  That's the David and God is choosing him to be the new king for the Israelites.  David has a deep love for God and has a God-like spirit.  He does not let his emotions rule his life, well almost not.  He does let love for God rule it.  And, scripture will tell us that David was the best king!

Okay, great bible story.  I couldn't stop reading it!  But I did learn from it.  I need to temper my emotions when dealing with situations that occur in my life.  Almost every bad time in my life is surrounded by negative emotions.  I was jealous or unjustly angry or unloving or unreasonable.  Bad emotions never really solve anything.  As my mother always says, you can get more with honey than you can with vinegar!  And she is right!

The apostle Paul said in his letter to Titus, "Remind them ... to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone."  Honestly, this is the perfect description of my dad!  He was the kindest, gentlest, most caring and respectful person I have ever known.  I have always aspired to be like Dad with a modicum of success.  But when Dad moved on to Heaven in December, I vowed that I would be more like him!  It has NOT been easy but I am getting better at listening with my heart, turning the other cheek,  "walking a mile in others' shoes".  Don't kid yourself,  it started off being a lot of work but it does get easier and it is TOTALLY worth it!  

So go wild - with the positive emotions!  

Pray without ceasing...

Pray without ceasing...  I finally get it!

 1 Thessalonians 5:17  (you should include 16 & 18 too!)

Today was a busy day for me and I kept trying to find time to do something special for someone and I just wasn't getting there.  FRUSTRATING!  Then it hit me...

I started my day off with my morning bible study and it was a good one!  Through reflection and conversation with God, I realized that we need to be living examples of God's Word.  I do try my best to do this but there is definitely room for improvement!  I have to shake my head, though, when reading the bible (this is the first time I have really read with analysis!) I am always amazed at the people who try to convince God that they are following his requests while they are not!  The reason I shake my head is that they are telling this to God - don't they realize that He already knows what they have done?  Definitely a head shake moment, right?

Next I was off to water aerobics at the health club.  On the way, I had the chance to talk with my mom.  She sounded really good today!  It was so great to hear the smile in her voice and I thanked God for that!  I hated to hang up but Mom had a busy day planned and I needed to get in to class.  I look forward to this class because I always feel great afterwards, great that I actually got up and moved around for an hour!  We had a new classmate today and she was very outgoing or talkative if you prefer.  I thanked God for her gift as it made the class go by faster and her stories were pretty interesting.

I came home and....  wait, I could go on forever talking about dropping things off at the post office and lunch with my husband and walking the dog and doing laundry and washing the dishes and cooking supper but let's get to the meat of the matter.  Through my very hectic day I realized that I spent most of the time conversing with God about my joyful moments, my prayerful moments, and my thankful moments!  

"Pray without ceasing" is a bible passage that I have heard many times and, I have to admit, it scares me.  I always think about it but then silently dismiss it because I just don't have that much time!  That passage sounds like a real time commitment, if you know what I mean.  However, 1Thessolonians 5:16-18 says "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances..."  Today when I thought about it I realized that it so described my day.  So I do get it!  It means to spend your day in communion with God!  I can't think of a better companion!  And it doesn't take a lot of extra effort!

Thank you God for spending your time with me today and every day!  

What is all the talk about 40?

I have to admit.  I am curious about the meaning of so many 40s in the Bible.  I know about 40 days and 40 nights and being in the desert for 40 years.  I also know that in life, 40 seems to be the pivotal age for us.  Oh no, I'm turning 40!  I always want to lose 40 pounds!  If I could just find $40!  So how come they don't make a 40 year mortgage?

Anyway, I ramble.  So I googled it to see what I could find.  Guess what?  Everybody has an opinion but there is no real answer!  No place in the Bible is there any explanation of the significance!  That is the only fact that I could find, other than a listing of all the places it does show up!  

According to BibleStudy.org, these are the biblical references to forty:

Forty Years of Probation by Trial

• Israel in the wilderness, Deuteronomy 8:2-5; Psalm 95:10; Acts 13:18
  (the third 40 of Moses’ life, 120 years).
• Israel from the crucifixion to the destruction of Jerusalem.

Forty Years of Probation by Prosperity in Deliverance and Rest

• under Othniel, Judges 3:11,
• under Barak, Judges 5:31,
• under Gideon, Judges 8:28.

Forty Years of Probation by Prosperity in Enlarged Dominion

• under David, 2Samuel 5:4,
• under Solomon, 1 Kings 11:42,
• under Jeroboam II. See 2 Kings 12:17,18, 13:3,5,7,22,25, 14:12-14,23,28,
• under Jehoash, 2 Kings 12:1,
• under Joash, 2Chronicles 24:1.

Forty Years of Probation by Humiliation and Servitude

• Israel under the Philistines, Judges 13:1.
• Israel in the time of Eli, 1Samuel 4:18.
• Israel under Saul, Acts 13:21.

Forty Years of Probation by Waiting

• Moses in Egypt, Acts 7:23.
• Moses in Midian, Acts 7:30

Forty Days
There are eight of such great periods on the surface of the Bible:

• Forty days Moses was in the mount, Exodus 24:18; and to receive the Law, Exodus 24:18.
• Forty days Moses was in the mount after the sin of the Golden Calf, Deuteronomy 9:18,25.
• Forty days of the spies, issuing in the penal sentence of the 40 years, Numbers 13:26, 14:34.
• Forty days of Elijah in Horeb, 1 Kings 19:8.
• Forty days of Jonah and Nineveh, Jonah 3:4.
• Forty days Ezekiel lay on his right side to symbolize the 40 years of Judah’s transgression.*
• Forty days Jesus was tempted of the Devil, Matthew 4:2.
• Forty days Jesus was seen of His disciples, speaking of things pertaining to God’s kingdom, Acts 1:2.

It is interesting, though, that there are so many opinions about the number 40 and what it might mean.  You can also buy many books, DVDs and online programs to learn more about the number 40.  The number 40 should get an agent!

The consensus is that whenever we see the number 40 in the Bible, it does relate to some kind of trial or temptation or period of deep reflection.  And there seems to always be some kind of resolution or rebirth at the end of that time.  This time period is good for days or years.  So I am hoping that I will deeply reflect in the next 40 days on the Lenten season and what it means for me as a Christian!  

PS:  There are other numbers in the Bible that scholars say reflect some meaning or attribute to us - also not well documented in the same book!  Check out 7 for one!  The consensus is that it is a lucky number, it means good things.  Hence, I guess, lucky number seven (you know, I've seen it on shows with Vegas in them)!

PPS:  I am sending snail mail today to some people that need something to bring a smile to their faces.  I hope this helps because I love them much!  If you need a smile, let me know and I will add you to the list!

Everyone please have a blessed day!  Happy Valentine's Day!

Ash Wednesday

This has already been quite a year for me.  My father passed away on December 21, 2012 and it has really changed my life in many ways.  I miss him terribly and am sad for myself because he is no longer around for me to talk with.  But I was with him and received amazing blessings and insights into my spiritual life that I am sure that I will share over the next 46 days!  But let's get started on Lent....

I went to church this morning for Ash Wednesday and it was lovely.  I especially loved that we had communion!  The minister asked the congregation what we were planning to give up for Lent and I heard the usual things like chocolate or beer or overeating.  But I am thinking in another direction.  I don't want to give up, I want to give back this Lent. 

So here is my plan:  

• I will volunteer more.  There is nothing better than helping those who need assistance so I will be looking for opportunities to do just that.
• I will perform random acts of kindness.  I have flirted with this in the past and it always is worth it when people respond to an unexpected boost in their day!
• I will contact people in hopes of uplifting their spirits.  The contact can be through phone calls, text messages, e-mails and snail mail.

What about today?  Well, after church I had to go to the store in search of a birthday gift for my grand-niece.  As usual, I ended up with a basket full of other stuff I also needed!  There were only a few checkouts open and the lines looked full so I just chose one and waited.  I was watching this man go from line to line.  He looked frustrated and rushed and needed to get on with his day.  He settled on the same line as me.  In fact, he was right behind me.  I emptied my cart onto the checkout stand and I could tell he was looking at how much stuff I had.  I turned to him with a smile and said "Would you like to go before me?  You only have a few items and I don't mind."  He was so happy!  And the best part is that while we were waiting, he asked me what the mark was on my forehead.  So we got to talk a bit about Ash Wednesday!

As it says in Ephesians 4:32, ...be kind to one another....