The prompt for today asked me to identify my favorite pastime… I am doing it: writing. Especially writing on my blog, but also writing text or e-mail messages to family and friends and sending greeting cards for all kinds of occasions ie: Birthdays, Anniversaries, Get Well, Thinking of you…
Writing poetry is another favorite activity. If you’ve read my blog for awhile, you know I like to take sermon notes in church on Sundays. Sometimes they rhyme… but more often lately they are free verse. It’s my way of capturing the main message as I hear and understand it.
Rev. Mary Grace Reynolds used Matthew Chapter 5:13-16 as her springboard for today’s message. Here’s what the sermon said to me today:
Be Salt and Light
Salt preserves. As Christians, We, too, must preserve What is right in the world.
We must become Salt and Light. Salt that exists For a specific purpose.
Light that shines As a witness to Jesus. Salt that creates A thirst for what is Good.
Fight for each human’s Right to live in The light of Torchbearers – Lighting the way for others.
Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are the peacemakers. Think first to help someone else. Be a light who blesses others.
Don’t lose your saltiness. Don’t cover your light. Create pathways to Wholeness in this world.
Amen? Amen!
Are you Salt for a specific purpose? Does that influence your choice of Favorite Pastime? Does your purpose shed Light on your pathway? Is it peaceful?
What is your favorite pastime? Don’t tell me you don’t have one!
Relax! Everything’s gonna be okay. Rest … things are coming your way. Open your heart; love’s here to stay. Everything’s coming together on this day.
“… to those loved by God the Father, called and kept safe by Jesus Christ, Relax! Everything’s gonna be alright. Rest, everything’s coming together. Open your hearts; Love is on its way.”
Jude 1:1-2 (MSG)
Relax and roll with the waves of life. Let go of any tensions or strife. Go hug your husband or wife, Or find a neighbor whose troubles are rife.
Sit and do nothing at all. Let your mind wander and sprawl. Relax and dream to enthrall The birds who come to your whistled call.
In these days of political strife With pundants telling us how to think It’s easy to get drawn off balance Easy to feel we’re drowning – gonna sink!
BUT, we’re not!! Read on…
Guideposts devotional, “Mornings With Jesus” elaborated on this theme today. Suzanne Davenport Tietjen wrote, “My soaking tub isn’t very big, but it’s deep – deep enough to float in. Floating might be my favorite thing now – but that would surprise my mother. She thought I’d never master it when I was a child. I was fine if my parent’s or swimming teacher’s arms supported me, but I panicked whenever they tried to transition me to floating on my back solo…
“Finally Mom convinced me to practice in the Gulf of Mexico, saying that I’d float higher in salt water. The difference was probably miniscule, but … I relaxed enough to lie back, rock on the waves, and float. All I needed to do was not do anything…
“It seems like a paradox, this doing something by relaxing into doing nothing. And paradoxically, I struggle with this in my walk with Jesus. I want to do. Jesus wants me to just be. To relax and roll with the waves of life. There is no need to be tense or on guard. … Lean back, let go, and trust Him that everything’s going to be all right.”
Today you are invited to lean on Jesus. Trust Him to help you roll with life. Lean back. Let go. Everything’s gonna be alright!
In today’s Ever Faithful365 day devotional by David Jeremiah, he asked his readers, “Have you heard about the man who smelled good no matter where he was or what he was doing?”
His skin and clothing and very being seemed to exude a pleasant fragrance. He worked in a perfume factory and breathed its aromas every day.
The aromas filtered into his clothing, penetrated his skin, and even filled his lungs. He became a walking perfumery.
David Jeremiah said, “That’s the way we should be as Christians.”
The Bible says, “For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” 2 Corinthians 2:15
“We exude the aroma of joy, for in His presence is fullness of joy.” Psalm 16:11
You might have heard that “Jesus wept” (John 11:35) is the shortest verse in the Bible, but that’s only true in English. In the original New Testament Greek, 1 Thessalonians 5:16 is shorter – “Rejoice always.” The two verses are related. Because Jesus wept, we can rejoice.
In today’s world with all the hate, divisiveness, floods, hurricanes, and wars it’s easy to get bogged down. But, David Jeremiah reminds us, “Jesus doesn’t want us to live in perpetual discouragement, sadness or doubt.”
“The joy of the Lord is the strength of our days,” Nehemiah 8:10
We have reason to rejoice. Count your blessings, my friends. Be a walking perfumery! Exude the aroma of joy. I pray that you will let the love, joy, and peace of Christ shine through your face and radiate from your clothing everyday! Let your fragrant scent invite others in to the love, joy and peace that can be theirs, too.
You are lovely. You are loved. You smell good! God bless you!
I love the words of this hymn of grace. If you are in a place where you can tap on the arrow and hear it, I wholeheartedly recommend you do so. But, if you cannot link to it and listen, at least read these beautiful lyrics!
“Come and find the quiet center In the crowded life we lead, Find the room for hope to enter, Find the frame where we are freed. Clear the chaos and the clutter, Clear our eyes that we can see All the things that really matter. Be at peace and simply be.
Silence is a friend who claims us, Cools the heat and slows the pace. God it is who speaks and names us, Knows our being, touches base; Making space within our thinking Lifting shades to show the sun, Raising courage when we’re shrinking, Finding scope for faith begun.
In the spirit let us travel, Open to each other’s pain. Let our loves and fears unravel, Celebrate the space we gain. There’s a place for deepest dreaming, There’s a time for heart to care, In the Spirit’s lively scheming There is always room to spare.”
Words by Shirley Erena Murray Music attributed to B.F. White
You can live at peace Even in the midst of strife Find center in life
Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” He had also told His followers “…in this world you will have many troubles. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). So peace is not the absence of trouble; it is the presence of God.
Come and find your space. Yes, we have some room to spare! Come and visit us!
God bless you, my friend. You are in my heart of hearts, My quiet center.
The best gift of all Jesus gave to us one day With His sacrifice
It’s eternal life Promised by His life and death Free for those who thirst
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Mark 11:24
2 Corinthians 9:15
“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”
Gifts come wrapped with bows Must be untied and unwrapped You’re the receiver
Even God’s own Son Won’t come and break in your door You must open it
Revelation 3:20
American Standard Version Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Accept your best gift Untie the bow; Open door Accept faith with joy
Return the favor By the joy you radiate Your gift back to Him!
Happy Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day, my friends! Today’s writing prompt from JetPack asked for a suggested title for a biography should there be one written about me.
Daily writing prompt
If there was a biography about you, what would the title be?
One of my devotionals this morning was about “A Closed Door.” It used this scripture as a prompt for the commentary:
Matthew 6:6 “But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees you in secret will reward you.”
There may be a need for some people to pray behind a closed door, but my favorite prayer room is up my circle staircase in our entryway to my cozy 12’x12′ “Sanctuary” where I am never alone. The Holy Spirit is alive and well up there… and the front door in that entryway always is open for you to come and join me. My life is An Open Door – an open book! If you’ve followed my blog for awhile, you know I am quite a transparent person. I have nothing to hide! And my Father is not “in secret.” He has an open door for you, too! Go – and sit with His heart – and Let Him into yours!! Open up your heart and let the Son shine in!!
If you have time, and if you can, click on this delightful children’s song below It will make you smile. It’s guaranteed to make you want to sing along, and open up your heart… the door to heart can remain open without fear if the Son shines there!
“An Open Door – a biography about Jan Beekman“ Waiting to “bee” written – someday – hah!
Meantime, let me share openly with you about this little light of mine that I always try to shine.
1 Corinthians 15:14
“Let all that you do be done in love.”
Today is Ash Wednesday when we begin a 40 day period of waiting with love for Easter (Lent). It is a time to reflect on the great gift of eternal life that Jesus made possible through His life and death and resurrection. May we celebrate Lent with the same fervor that we acknowledge February 14th each year as Valentine’s Day!
My dear friends, Lee & Loleta, know how to celebrate Valentine’s Day in style. And Bob & I celebrated Valentine’s Day early in 1962 by using that red & white, hearts & flowers theme for our wedding.
Here we are 62 years later:
Yup, still celebrating our love… with an open door to our hearts and our home.
Today we’ll get a cross of ashes on our foreheads that will symbolize our devotion to the One who brought us together and whose mercy and grace has kept us together all these years.
Yes, He prays with us He stays with us His heart is an open door Mine is, too. Is yours?
My word for 2024 is SIFT. It is an acronym for: S = Simplify I = Inventory & Itemize (to facilitate simplifying) F = Focus on the present T = Take Time to Think (before speaking or acting)
Yes, health is about what you’re eating, thinking, and saying, but it also is about what you are doing. So, my friends, let’s SIFT! Let’s simplify our lives by eliminating the “stuff” we don’t need and organizing the things we decide to keep. Let’s focus on the present and take time not just to think before speaking or acting, but also TAKE TIME TO PRAY as we sift through each day’s possibilities.
Today was what some call “Fat Tuesday.” The day before Lent, a season of 40 days (not counting Sundays) before Easter. It culminates at Easter when Jesus gave up His life for us all. So, some folks “give up” something as a remembrance of and in honor of Christ’s ultimate giving. “Fat Tuesday” is a silly idea… to overindulge in that thing the day before you give it up for forty days!
Overindulgence is not a Biblical concept! I hope you didn’t buy in to it!! It is diametrically opposed to the idea of Lent … a time of fasting and praying leading up to Easter.
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
So, join me, my friends, during this special season. Let’s simplify. Let’s take inventory and prioritize. Let’s focus on the now, and let’s take time to think and to pray before we speak or act. Let’s decide what we want to “give up” for 40 days to remember Jesus’ sacrifice. Let’s give this Lenten season the time and attention Christ deserves.
I was reminded today that I promised to explain the meaning of each letter in SIFT, my word for 2024. I posted an explanation of the “S” meaning to simplify, but then my life got complicated!
I neglected WordPress for a week or so and then wrote about my desire to eliminate negativity in my world. I used Bob Goff as a perfect example of someone who exudes POSITIVITY! Thank you, dear friends, for the positive comments you left on that post!
Now, on to that “I” in SIFT. To simplify my life, I need to Inventory and Identify what is Important and what is not.
So, as I attempt to simplify my life, I question the need for all this stuff!! Finding honest answers to all that questioning takes wisdom! That’s my word for today!!
… and I need to add to that, “If it’s yours and you don’t need it, GET RID OF IT!”
When you experience a challenge (like trying to simplify your life) and you’re not sure what to do, stop what you are doing and ask God for guidance, seek the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and then WAIT to hear the answer.
It’s easy to get distracted (like I did on this SIFT acronym), but the task of simplifying requires that “I” message: Itemize and inventory, determine what’s important, in an effort to prioritize and ultimately simplify.
It’s a work in progress. Are you trying to simplify your life? How are you doing?
God bless you – and me – and, please Lord, give us wisdom!
