Month: July 2024

How Beautiful!

How beautiful is the earth and all her creatures!

Okay, stop right there. I am not an earth worshiper. I don’t ascribe to the whole “Mother Earth” religion. The earth is a beautiful thing, and we humans are her caretakers. Where is your favorite place in nature? If you could spend time outdoors without the irritation of insects like mosquitoes and ticks and fleas and flies, where would that place be? The beach, oceanside? A meadow or prairie? The mountains? Out on the water, whether a river or lake or the vast ocean?

I’m hard pressed to choose a favorite. The mountains impress me with their majestic and soaring peaks. Standing on a beach with waves whispering around my feet soothes my soul. Sitting beside a rushing river makes peace wash over me. Even just being outside during the rain brings an unspeakable feeling of contentment. Being surrounded by flowers or a bountiful garden, the sensation of running my hands over an animals fur gives me an indescribable peace.

GOD’S Creation.

Created for our pleasure and our use.

Psalms 29:1-11 NASB1995
[1] Ascribe to the LORD, O sons of the mighty, Ascribe to the LORD Glory and Strength. [2] Ascribe to the LORD the Glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in holy array. [3] The Voice of the LORD is upon the waters; The God of Glory thunders, The LORD is over many waters. [4] The Voice of the LORD is powerful, The Voice of the LORD is majestic. [5] The Voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; Yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. [6] He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, And Sirion like a young wild ox. [7] The Voice of the LORD hews out flames of fire. [8] The Voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; The LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. [9] The Voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve And strips the forests bare; And in His Temple everything says, “Glory!” [10] The LORD sat as King at the flood; Yes, the LORD sits as King forever. [11] The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace. https://bible.com/bible/100/psa.29.1-11.NASB1995

The Glory of the LORD is all around us. We worship HIM, not the creation. AMEN.

TO AN UNKNOWN GOD

Acts 17:23-31 NASB1995
[23] For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. [24] The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; [25] nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; [26] and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, [27] that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; [28] for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ [29] Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. [30] Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, [31] because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” [https://bible.com/bible/100/act.17.23-31.NASB1995]

People say they don’t believe in GOD. They might try to fool themselves into believing that, but we all believe. They will elevate something, or someone, into the place that belongs to the Creator. Just as the Romans had a shrine to the “Unknown God” in their city, we each have a place in our hearts for Him. The question is, who or what replaces the LORD in your heart, or is your heart filled by the Holy Spirit of GOD?

Hebrews 11:1 NASB1995
[1] Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. [https://bible.com/bible/100/heb.11.1.NASB1995]

I Have Been Renewed

Psalms 40:2-17 NASB1995
[2] He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. [3] He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the Lord. [4] How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood. [5] Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count. [6] Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired; My ears You have opened; Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. [7] Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. [8] I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.” [9] I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain my lips, O Lord, You know. [10] I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation. [11] You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me. [12] For evils beyond number have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; They are more numerous than the hairs of my head, And my heart has failed me. [13] Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; Make haste, O Lord, to help me. [14] Let those be ashamed and humiliated together Who seek my life to destroy it; Let those be turned back and dishonored Who delight in my hurt. [15] Let those be appalled because of their shame Who say to me, “Aha, aha!” [16] Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let those who love Your salvation say continually, “The Lord be magnified!” [17] Since I am afflicted and needy, Let the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God. [https://bible.com/bible/100/psa.40.2-17.NASB1995]

My life has been hard. As a child, we didn’t have many material things, and there wasn’t excess food. I wore hand-me-down or homemade clothes, but we were loved. As an adult, I experienced abuse, was trafficked, abandoned. But there are many who have endured much worse! Psalm 40 was written by King David. He was a shepherd as a boy, a menial, labor intensive job. He went on to become the king, but his life was full of danger, from both those on his ‘side’ and the enemy. He loved the LORD, and still made terrible decisions, among them having an affair with the wife of his general and having that general murdered. Yet he loved the LORD. He broke every commandment. Yet he loved the LORD.

I haven’t murdered anyone, although I have wished them dead. Jesus said that if we thnk it, it’s the same as doing it. The rest of the commandments? All broken. The beautiful thing about our Creator is that He love me, warts and all. No matter how badly we mess up, He still loves us and wants to be in fellowship with us. Thank GOD for His Mercy and Forgiveness! I’m still a sinner, and a mess. So what’s the difference between me and anyone else? I’m forgiven. Are you? He’s just a heartbeat away, waiting patiently for you to ask for His Forgiveness. It is freely given.

ASK.

Ms. Fix-It

That’s me. My identity for years. It’s where I found my worth. It was an unusual vocation 30+ years ago for a woman, and that’s probably at least part of the reason I did it. At one point, I purchased an old home and replaced all 22 windows on my own (I had “help” for one and promptly fired him!). I replaced and added cabinets, added electrical, and replaced porch columns. There were countless little things to fix, including repairing plaster walls (yes, plaster, NOT sheetrock). Painting the interior. Replacing sinks and fixtures.

I was proud of the work I did.

I’m in another old house now. A 1915 farmhouse that was remodeled out of all it’s charm before I bought it. I’m frustrated with myself because my 72 yo body won’t cooperate with my mind and do the things I want done.

What does any of this have to do with anything?

It’s a strong reminder that this world is not permanent. We humans grow old and die. The earth and the heavens are not permanent, either. “Climate change” is a scam the enemy of mankind, Satan, is perpetuating to pull people’s attention away from the reason earth will cease to exist. It’s not because of humans or animals or even manufacturing. It all goes down to sin and the evil unleashed by the enemy. God tells us in His Word that the earthwill cease to exist.

Hebrews 1:10-12 NASB1995
[10] And, “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands; [11] They will perish, but You remain; And they all will become old like a garment, [12] And like a mantle You will roll them up; Like a garment they will also be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end.” (https://bible.com/bible/100/heb.1.10-12.NASB1995)

I might have the ability through the gifts GOD gave me to envision and fix things, but it is only in Jesus Christ that my spirit can be “fixed,” changed through His Blood. My work here is temporary. No matter how good of a job I do, it will perish along with this world. Nothing I can possibly do is good enough to last forever.

Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB1995
[8] For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; [9] not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (https://bible.com/bible/100/eph.2.8-9.NASB1995)

For years I tried to convince myself that what I did defined me. I still struggle with that. The majority of humanity is the same. Our work and our appearance is the most important thing ….. But it’s not. Almost everyone has heard of John 3:16, but read the following verses.

John 3:14-21 NASB1995
[14] As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; [15] so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. [16] “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. [18] He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [19] This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. [20] For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. [21] But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” (https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.3.14-21.NASB1995)

I’m not religious. My job in life doesn’t matter. What I AM does matter. The only identity we need is that of Believer. Christ follower. It doesn’t matter how good, ethical, decent, righteous, honest, moral, or just we are. If you/I haven’t accepted Jesus Christ, the Son of God Who died on a cross and was resurrected on the third day, and ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of GOD AMIGHTY, as your personal Savior, acknowledging your sinful being …. you and I are lost, looking at an eternity in hell.

It’s that simple. I believe it. Do you?

1 Peter 1:3 NASB1995
[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (https://bible.com/bible/100/1pe.1.3.NASB1995)

Oh, Love again?

‭Luke 6:27-31 NLT‬
[27] “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. [28] Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. [29] If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. [30] Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. [31] Do to others as you would like them to do to you. https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.6.27-31.NLT

I don’t like these verses. I don’t want to listen to them! “Love your enemies.” “Bless those who hate you.” “Give, and don’t try to get things back.”

“Be nice. Play nice. Share. Treat others the way you want to be treated.”

We are taught these things when we are little – and if we aren’t teaching it to our children, well, shame on us! If you watch any news, on whatever media you use, we aren’t doing a very good job of teaching tolerance and kindness. The American Democratic Party of love and tolerance is leading the way with violence and hate. The religion of love, Islam, produces the most vitriolic hate and horrific acts I’ve ever seen or heard of. Christians, who should be leading the way in promoting Christ and being the example of the greatest love ever experienced by man, are among the most vocal liars and cheaters (just look in Washington DC and the White House).

What to do, what to do.

Well, what would Jesus do?

Don’t ask me! I am a horrible example to follow. Love my enemies? Pray for those who have hurt me? Don’t try to get back the money I was scammed out of, or the things that were taken from me? Turn my other cheek to the boss who lied to get me fired? What about the husband who cheated? Am I just supposed to forgive them all?

FORGIVE. That’s not a suggestion, it’s a command. I rely on Matthew 6, the Lord’s Prayer, especially this:

‭Matthew 6:14-15 NLT‬
[14] “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. [15] But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.6.14-15.NLT

Forgive. It’s not an emotion or a feeling, it’s a conscious act that will probably have to be repeated multiple times. When those familiar feelings of betrayal and anger and hurt start to rise up within me, it’s up to me to make that decision – again! – to forgive that person or persons. Don’t think it’s going to be easy, because it isn’t. The only way it is possible for me to do it, is to pray and rely on the strength that can only come from the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Try it. It’s amazingly freeing. Thank You, Jesus, for Your sacrifice that makes it possible. Left up to me, I’d just be a ball of seething frustration and hate.

And there we have it, the reason our world is in such bad shape. To use a well-known phrase, “No Jesus, No peace.” Do you have Jesus? If not, He’s just waiting for you to ask Him. He loves you. He doesn’t turn anyone away.

It’s good to be back.

Living Your Best Life

Have you ever felt like you were standing on Holy ground? Perhaps in a cathedral or a church? Possibly, out in nature? Early morning on a mountain, surrounded by the glorious natural world that God created, it’s difficult for me to image that anyone could experience it and not feel as though they were on Holy ground.

‭Exodus 3:5 NASB1995‬
[5] Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” (https://bible.com/bible/100/exo.3.5.NASB1995)

I was blessed to live in Northern New Mexico for a number of years with my late husband. There were many weekends that we would load up the dog and the camping gear and head out. Lying under a carpet of stars, seeing bats chasing insects in the dark; hearing the occasional owl, how can you not know that God exists and created our world? Waking to the hushed sounds of the mountains and forest, often with remnants of fog creeping away, just imbues a sense of the Holy God. And for me, there is absolutely nothing that tastes better than that first cup of coffee, brewed over the campfire!

God has given us an incredible planet to live and thrive on. We are blessed!

‭Genesis 1:29-31 NASB1995‬
[29] Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; [30] and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so. [31] God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.1.29-31.NASB1995)