A Day to Prepare
What did you do
On this day to prepare
Did you bake lemon pies
Like these?
What a feat!!
Archive for November, 2018
So Thankful!
So Thankful!
That sweet little girl
I hugged tight ten years ago
Is coming today
She’s now twenty-two
Grown up so fast as kids do
Families change, don’t they?
So thankful for them!
Happy Thanksgiving, my friends.
I’m thankful for you!
Photo by Carl Attard on Pexels.com
Enjoy the bounties of this season
And be sure to count your blessings!
What are you grateful for today?
Photo by Ella Olsson on Pexels.com
What’s Your Image of Afghanistan?
Last night Bob & I attended a documentary at the Emerson Theater in Bozeman, MT. The topic: “Angels Are Made of Light.”
What is your perception of the people of Afghanistan?
Photo by Somchai Kongkamsri on Pexels.com
Before the documentary, our response to that question was, “War-torn, depressed, aggressive, beaten-down, varied, down-trodden and fearful.”
After seeing the documentary, our response is, “Resourceful, hopeful in the midst of what might look hopeless, tenacious, clean, basically healthy looking, and respectful of their elders.”
The newspaper review that prompted us to attend was glowing. We met Jason, the reviewer last night. Sorry I didn’t catch his last name. The newspaper page we have doesn’t list it. I’ll edit this and include it when I find out, because I will quote him:
“It is not a complete and objective telling of the country’s history, but rather a series of powerful semblances from those who lived through it. The imagery is vivid, and the contrast between the historic images of the city (Kabul), in times of greater prosperity, and those of the present day are stark reminders of how much the country has changed.”
Jason’s review hooked us in when he wrote, “The cinematography is simply exceptional. Langley is a true craftsman, and he works brilliantly with natural light.”
We were intrigued by the opportunity to “linger up close with the film’s subjects for long moments… ” The concentration of subjects was on the school children – – – especially a group of Afghani boys of about 10 -14 years of age. We wanted to “feel their breathing, see them thinking, working, watching the world go by.” And we did!
“Over the course of the film,” Jason, the reviewer promised we would “accompany the students through lessons in history, poetry, social studies, and math.” And we did!
He wrote, “In the end, the film itself is a lesson in humanity, found right there, on the streets, in broad daylight.” And it was!
The documentary promised to “narrow the gap in our minds between us and them.” And it did!
It was indeed eye-opening.
We all are God’s children. Let’s do whatever we can to:
JUST LOVE ONE ANOTHER!
It begins with trying to understand one another. Set aside those prior perceptions, and get the real picture! I’m grateful for “Angels Are Made of Light” and the Bozeman Doc Series for bringing documentaries such as this one to our community.
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The Pleasure of Not Writing
Yes, take time to think
Think many positive thoughts
Then make time to write
But, write everyday?
Is that really positive?
How about a break?
Every other week I meet with a Writers’ Group. Our attendance varies between two and eight. We never know who’ll show up, but even if I am there alone, I enjoy going to that writers’ spot and sharing ideas with fellow writers via my blog.
When others attend (usually two or more join me), we begin with a prompt that we pull out of a hat (actually a little bag), and then we free write for 15 minutes or so. Each of us shares orally with one another what we’ve written during free write – and then we share something we’ve been working on at home, making copies for each other to look on and offer positive criticism.
During the free write, I get a kick out of how many different approaches we take to the same prompt. A few weeks ago the prompt was, “The Pleasure of Not Writing.”
Here is what my fifteen minute rambling produced:
Writing is an itch
That needs to be scratched,
But I can turn around
And grieve the time that’s snatched!
I can get so wrapped up
In getting words out of my brain
That it can be exhausting
And on life – take quite a drain!
I need to take a break
And not write for a day or two;
Do something else creative –
What would that be for you?
Would you watch TV and vegetate?
Would you fish or visit friends?
Would you clean, or sort, or gravitate
To some project without ends?
I take pleasure in my writing.
I love hearing from bloggers out there,
But I think there’s pleasure in not writing –
I’m just not sure I know where!
Oh wait – I know a place I’ll go –
To the kitchen where I’ll cook –
To the Food Bank where I’ll serve –
To Plain Jane’s to have a look.
I’ll bide my time at the mall
Or take in a concert or two.
What pleasure will you find NOT writing?
What other activities are happy for you?
A pedicure? Ah, it feels so good!
Time at the beach? Ah, so refreshing!
Quiet time with Jesus?
Ah yes, I’m headed to my lovely sanctuary now.
Join me!
Raincheck
Bouncing in puddles
Singing on a rainy day
Storms cannot stop us
.
Waiting for sunshine
Can take a very long time
Don’t take a rain check
.
Weather every storm
Get up and put your shoes on
Puddles await you
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We Are Loved
Photo by Amber Lamoreaux on Pexels.com
Rachel Mankowitz wrote on her Cricket pages in WordPress today… and her words touched my soul. She ended her post with this:
“On Friday nights at my synagogue we often exchange one of the traditional prayers (Ahavat Olam) for an alternative version, written by Rami Shapiro:
We are loved by an unending love.
We are embraced by arms that find us
even when we are hidden from ourselves.
We are touched by fingers that soothe us
even when we are too proud for soothing.
We are counseled by voices that guide us
even when we are too embittered to hear.
We are loved by an unending love.
We are supported by hands that uplift us
even in the midst of a fall.
We are urged on by eyes that meet us
even when we are too weak for meeting.
We are loved by an unending love.
Embraced, touched, soothed, and counseled
ours are the arms, the fingers, the voices;
ours are the hands, the eyes, the smiles;
We are loved by an unending love.
Even if we can’t envision God as the healer of our wounds, we have something more concrete to rely on: community. We have the power to see each other, and heal each other. Among all of the roles we can play in each other’s lives, this is one of my favorites.
Hallelujah.”
I love the words to that traditional Jewish prayer. Oh, how they touched me! You need to go and read the whole of Rachel’s post!
Synchronicity
SYNCHRONICITY
“… the simultaneous occurrence of causally unrelated events and the belief that the simultaneity has meaning beyond mere coincidence.”
Has such synchronism happened to you? Can you think of a time when there was a coincidence in time/events/things that was too synchronous to be coincidental? I can!
Photo by Ray Bilcliff on Pexels.com
Just last weekend, I watched a movie on my Amazon Prime Video that was titled, Lightkeepers. It was a delightful film starring Richard Dreyfuss in which he played the role of the lighthouse keeper. Love lost and love renewed, life lost and life renewed, heartwarming and real. I highly recommend it.
But what does this have to do with synchronicity? Well, in the four days since I watched that movie, I have seen lighthouses at least once each day… in a TV ad, in the newspaper, in the centerfold of my November issue of In Touch Magazine… this photo by Charles Stanley:
I posted it accidentally in a post of its own, titled Lighthouses, just a few minutes ago. I was trying to save it to use in this post and I ended up posting it alone – – – and losing everything I had written so far on this subject of Synchronicity. Hmmm…
Then, this morning, before I could redo the post that I started, my friend who comes once a week for prayer, praise, study and devotional sharing time with me, arrived with a new cloth bag in which she carries her books, etc. What do you think the bag had pictured on the cover?
- You guessed it!
What do we do with such synchronicity? Does it make you think? Do you ask yourself, “What are these reoccurrences trying to teach me?” I do!
Charles Stanley’s photo had this scripture printed below it:
“O send out Your Light and Your Truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling places. Then I will go to the alter of God, to God my exceeding joy; and upon the lyre I will praise you, O God, my God.” Psalm 43:3-4
I don’t play the lyre, but I play the accordion. Upon the accordion I will praise You, O God, my God. I will bring exceeding joy to the people in our local nursing home. I will accept the call, and be the light that God has given me. Yesterday I wrote about Reciprocity … receiving and giving back. Today it’s time for me to “Walk the Talk.”
Photo by Artem Saranin on Pexels.com
Come – and Go shine forth!!
Reciprocity
RECIPROCITY
What gifts have you been given that you are able to “give back”?
Gift 
Gifts 
Loving Hands Overflowing
1 Peter 4:10-11 “Love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless – cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way God’s bright presence will be in everything through Jesus, and He’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything – encores to the end of time. Oh yes!”
And the simplified version of 1Peter4:10 from the ESV reads, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
In the first version, Eugene H. Peterson in The Message mentioned two specific gifts: words and help. As bloggers, we know the gift of words is ours – and we intend by sharing our words to be a help to our readers, right?
How has the sharing of my words helped you? Did the reciprocity of giving and receiving described in 1Peter 4:10-11 speak to your heart as it did to mine?
In my Daily Guideposts devotional yesterday morning, Sabra Ciancanelli shared this scripture and ended with a prayer. I spoke it to my God today.
Join me:
“Thank You, Heavenly Father, for the variety of blessings You bestow upon us and the magic that happens when we share, honor, and celebrate our gifts.” Amen
We’re All Hypocrites
WE’RE ALL HYPOCRITES
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Hypocrisy is easy to spot in others, but we often miss it in ourselves. Lord, reveal any hypocrisy in my life!
Psalm 139:23-24
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Yes, we’re all hypocrites! We just aren’t perfect, darn it. We have great intentions. We desperately want to walk in “the way everlasting,” but hey, we’re only human, right? We stray.
Don’t judge me too harshly when I falter. Maybe if I didn’t set my standards so high, it would be easier to reach them, to meet and keep them. Should I lower my expectations?
Where do I find my standards?
As Christians, don’t we all strive to be more like Jesus? Oh my Lord, help me! If I’m trying to be like You, I’m struggling to be perfect! The goal can’t get any higher. No wonder I “fall short of the Glory of God.”
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
The Lord knows all my offenses. He knows all my anxious thoughts.
God hears our silent murmuring, our laments. We don’t have to tell Him about our shortcomings. He recognized them before we did. If we’re open to the nudging of the Holy Spirit, we’ll feel His guiding hand trying to help us stay in the Way Everlasting.
In addition to the Spirit within, He’ll send us the love of family and friends who love us in spite of our failures. And He’ll send us annoying critics who shout, “Hypocrite!” And we’ll run to our Hospital for Sinners, our community of believers who meet with us each week to worship and refuel. They are people like us who are praying the prayer of Psalm 139:23 – “Search me, God, and know my heart…” Together we’ll lock arms and strive to “walk the talk” – and get back to the Way Everlasting.
At least for the moment!
