I'm prepping the month of November in my Faith Art Journal. I finished the Fruits of the Spirit series and am finishing up the year with some favorite quotations. I have always loved this one so I'm using it to focus my spiritual study for the month of November.
I will use this outlook, this attitude if you will, to focus my prayers and bible verse study. It is so important to remember God's presence in our lives even when it might feel like he has abandoned us. He never does but it is so easy to fall into that pattern of thinking when the going gets tough.
God always has something to offer us so the next time things aren't going as you might like, take a moment to pause and consider what blessing God is sending your way. At times we become so wrapped up in our worldly thoughts and ideas that we miss out on an opportunity that God is presenting to us. Sometimes he sends an earthly angel to offer a kind word or a tidbit of hope but we are so immersed in our own human woes that we miss it.
I've written before that God speaks to us in unexpected ways and at unexpected times. Never forget that. Be open to his loving guidance and don't miss out on what he sends your way!
Hugs to each of you and may you find God's gifts during the month of November and every month there after.
Today's Father's Day. We celebrate the nurturing influence of fathers and grandfathers in our lives. While I like the aspect of God as Our Father, He also transcends this humanly comparison. In historical times when the Bible was written, Fathers played a crucial role in both society and the family. They were seen as the head of the household. Fast forward to today and we realize that not all fathers stick around to lead families and at times mothers are the only guiding force for the family unit. Even when present, many fathers do not convey the "fathering" role that most likely think of when speaking of God, Our Father. But this is all neither here nor there....just some rambling thoughts to start out the post.....
God as our Father creator of all, is ever present. Sometimes we feel His loving guidance and other times we start to wonder if he's working late at the office. Be assured, He is there but perhaps being blocked by our own resistance to his guidance. We are like constantly questioning teenagers, a bit rebelling in nature and perhaps just a little smug, thinking we know more about the world today than God.
But unlike humanly fathers, God does not get defensive or angry, or let his own emotional expectations and needs influence how He interacts with us. He is constant in His love and waits patiently for us to hear His voice. I do not think he even gets "disappojnted" in us....instead He recognizes where we are and lets us wallow there for a bit if we must. When we make the "wrong" choices, he waits patiently for us to discover that the path we are on is not the one we are destined to travel.
We are His creation but he does not seek to control us....guide yes but control no. What a wonderful unique and blessed relationship. As we seek a deeper spiritual relationship with God, He brings into our lives the words, the people, the events to send us in the right direction. Thank you Father for your love and patience.
Hugs to each of you and may the guiding influence of God send you on the path of spiritual growth and everlasting joy.
Waking up on a beautiful June morning to hear about another senseless act of violence started me thinking about goodness....that allusive quality that is one of the fruits of the spirit, a kernel of it contained inside us, protect that kernel, cultivate it so that it is not distorted and used for the exact opposite.
God gave us a present, a soul, a tiny sliver of himself, that is part of our journey toward our spiritual reunion with Him. So often that little part of ourselves is ignored. Why? Is it so hard to find, lost in the tangled maze of life? Is it easier to choose a different path? Are we so easily led astray by worldly beliefs? We so often despair that as individuals we can do little to "right" the wrongs of this world. But if each of us, individually lived with "all" our soul than wouldn't life fit together a little easier.
God calls us to love. Hate is not love, killing people is not love, making people suffer is not love. God knows his stuff! He knows what it takes to survive life here in the human domain. He gave us the directions to put together a meaningful, fulfilling life. Please pray for Orlando, Paris, Aurora, Belgium, (I won't continue as you get the point). Pray to whatever higher spirit you seek. Pray if you don't even believe. (I mean seriously it can't hurt, right?)
Hugs to each and everyone who reads this post. May the goodness of the gift God has given you shine forth in this world of darkness. May His hope bring hope into your life, piece by piece, bit by bit, we can make a difference.
Do you ever find yourself puzzling over a word or concept? Trying to figure out exactly HOW it might play out in your life. Twisting and turning it around and around like a puzzle piece that just seems "lost" among the bigger picture.
Goodness is a simple word for a very general and broad range of descriptors of character and conduct. How does that apply to God? And how does that apply to us in our daily lives?
Sounds sort of simple right? WRONG! How does one define good and worthy of approval? I would bet there are some whose definition of that would be quite different than one might expect.
I sort of like this idea about goodness but it doesn't really cover it totally. But the ideas of honesty and transparency and being the SAME does round out the definition. One cannot just think of "good" as following the rules. There are some rules that are oppressive and create inequality and sometimes even worse things. Blindly following the rules doesn't equal being good.
The power of good is strong. It is in some ways small but mighty. Can we right all the wrong in the world? Maybe, maybe not, but we can right all the wrong in our own personal interactions.
Plant the seeds of good in your life, find them in your interactions, grow them in your communities, work places, and the world will blossom.
Hugs to each of you, seek goodness and find it every day.
The month of May is coming to an end and as so often happens life steps in and things get put "on the back burner." Never is this more obvious for me than in keeping up with my writing and even more importantly spiritual musings. It take a long time to grow a spiritual "self". to connect with God and to bring that relationship into being in your own world. At times our minds become so crowded with "little things" and "big things", important and not so important leeches that drain our souls of the joy God promised.
May was my month to reflect of the fruit of the spirit: kindness and something came into a better focus on the "screen" of my life....true kindness ....blooms even when we are surrounded by struggles. Helping a friend when you have 200 other things to be doing is such a blessed act of kindness that it almost transcends the awkward busyness of our lives,
I think perhaps the tenderhearted kindness spoken of in Ephesians 4:32 is a little more difficult to model. We are quick to anger, slow to forgive and sometimes carry those wounds with us for a long time. I spent a little time thinking about how often I have probably disappointed God. Not doing it for a "downer" but for an honest evaluation of just where I stand. Humble and Human. Yet God through Christ forgives all. He does not keep in his heart the 101 times I have let him down, ignored him, doubted him, but simply forgives and moves on. That is a hard kindness to model here in this busy and sometimes cruel world.
But remember how I'm always writing about how we are "becoming"? How life is a continuous journey of faith and spiritual relationship with God.? Kindness helps us on that upward spiral toward "becoming." It grows our spirit and strengthens our soul. It sends out that tender shoot from the darkness toward the light. Now as I've mentioned before....being kind doesn't mean letting others walk all over you or take advantage of you. God knows all about boundaries. It simply means to strive for a kinder word, a friendly helping hand and sometimes forgiveness even where none is "really" deserved.
Kindness helps us rise to a higher level....in the process of lifting others we do far more to lift ourselves. We remember what being human is all about and that we are called to live this life to the fullest through our interactions with others, not alone and isolated. It's hard, that balance between doing the "right" thing, doing nothing, and doing the right thing in the right way. May is in the rear view mirror but kindness still exists. Let's not forget it.
Hugs to each of you and please let kindness guide your words and actions.
Even though love was the word for January, one can never reflect too much on it, especially since Jesus gave it as the greatest commandment,
This years political fiasco has me up thinking about Jesus and love. It's like he woke me up and said...."Get out of the boat". I've written before about how hard it is to get out of the boat, to have that faith, and to speak from the heart. This morning I feel moved to muse about what love was for Jesus. How did he let the healing love of God play a center role in his life?
So often we attempt to see love in a narrow view, being nice to others, accepting them when we don't agree with them, making sure we do not speak ill of them . And that is definitely a start but is that really the deep love that Jesus asks us to have for others. Don't our actions speak louder than words? Even while accepting others do we practice inclusion or exclusion? Do we divide or do we bring together?
"How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?" Matthew 7:4
We all are sinners and yet we tend to forget that. We tend to somehow think our sins are lesser or less offensive and focus on the sins of others. Sometimes to the extent that we avoid them, refuse to be around them or wish that they were not part of "our world". We might hope to change them. Is that what Jesus did? I have written before how Jesus was a rebel and usually hung out with people others did not associate with. And he didn't do so for the purpose of changing them, he did it simply out of his great love.
"While Jesus was at Matthews house many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Him and His disciples." Matthew 9:10 (He was criticized for this by the way.)
Jesus was anointed by a sinful woman and he didn't say "I can't be seen with you." He felt her love for him and her love was enough. He didn't ask her to change before he loved her. He didn't even preach to her or suggest she do so. He loved her regardless of what she did or what others thought of her.
36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.37 A
woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was
eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar
of perfume.38 As
she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet
with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and
poured perfume on them. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” Luke 7:36-50 In an earlier post we mused about the Samaritan woman at the well. when asked for a drink she wondered, "how can you be talking to me." because at that time Jews did not speak to Samaritans. Yet that didn't stop Jesus from doing so.
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If
you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you
would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4: 9-10
There are many examples of Jesus's acceptance and love evident in the Bible. While many will argue that he wants us to bring others to God and that "changing" these sinners is important. I'd suggest that ...that is NOT what Jesus did. He accepted them and loved them unconditionally. God knows what is in our hearts and we are very specifically told not to judge others. That is not our role here on earth. I've written before about the nature of good and evil; how one could be seen as "becoming" and the other as "unbecoming." I'm worried that our current political arena is quickly "unbecoming", dissolving into something dark, as political figures on both sides frequently throw around God's name without living God's ways. (Some obviously more than others) Isn't that indicative of false prophets? "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." Matthew 7:15
I'd rather have someone not speak of God at all than one who tries to distort God's messages. The whole purpose of my soul musings is to "become", to increase my understanding of God as it plays out in my life and to seek a higher connection to Him through His conversations with me. Sometimes he whispers and other times he pretty much knocks me in the head with something, Each of us experiences God's love and his messages in different ways. The key is to be open to his voice. God's plan is not for us all to be the same but for each of us to bring our unique gifts into this world. He weaves a tapestry with all of the threads of our lives and it is breathtakingly beautiful. It's freeing....He knows my heart and in the end only He will judge.
HUGS....I'm ending with a great video from Casting Crowns, I hope you will take a minute to listen to it.
What do puzzle pieces have to do with church and faith? I've written before about finding faith in the mundane experiences of daily living. I'd like to muse about today's message and also wander into my own thoughts a bit.
Where do you fit in "the body of Christ"? What are your unique gifts and areas of expertise that lend themselves to serving Christ? We explored this very topic at church this morning. It related to our "place" in the church specifically but also on a broader topic our place as part of the body of Christ. How do we use our spiritual gifts, no matter how we down play them, to serve God. And maybe more to the point, do we value the things we see others bring into the church, our lives, and our community?
"The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty,24 which our more presentable parts do not require." 1 Corinthians 12:21-24 Don't sell yourself short and don't miss opportunities to grow and learn from others The comparison to a puzzle is easy to understand. We all fit into the larger picture of God's work. Some of us are the smooth edges that form the frame of the picture, while others are jammed right there in the middle! Each piece fitted together, sometimes it's a snug fit and we almost have to shove a piece into place! It takes focus, determination and time to complete a puzzle.Yet when finished the puzzle is a marvel to look at, like an intricate masterpiece created piecemeal by so many.
This whole concept made me start musing how our faith is sort of like a puzzle itself. Each piece created through life's experiences, musing, reading, conversations with God and interactions with others. Is your faith puzzle missing some pieces? Sometimes in life we go through periods of time when pieces of our faith puzzle end up lost. Tough times hit and it's hard to see God's plan. The missing pieces are like holes in the heart and leave us empty and searching. We despair that the puzzle will never be complete. Run your fingers across the pieces that are intact, let your focus be on the blessings and strength of the pieces that are fitting, and trust that God will return the missing pieces to complete His masterpiece....YOU.
Going to play with this idea as part of an art journal page. ......
Hugs to each of you. May your church puzzle and your faith puzzle both fit together perfectly with God's plan.
I want to read the entire Bible in 2016. So I devised a plan. I contemplated many but I decided to start with the new Testament and therefore am reading Matthew currently. The study is two fold. One as I read I will look for verses or messages that relate to the monthly Soul Care theme (Which for January is Fruits of the Spirit-Love) Second I will look for God's voice in my reading. Messages that resonant and speak to me.
Since I did not start reading until January 4th, I had some catching up to do....Monday I read Matthew 1-6 and today I read 7-10. I have made it a practice to read the verses aloud because I have discovered in the past that it really helps me to stay focused on the message.
As I read through the chapters I came across several gems that really spoke to my heart. One is Matthew 9:28 in which Jesus is healing the blind men and he asked..." Do you believe I am able to do this." To which they answered "Yes Lord."
How many times do we ask God for something without TRULY believing he can do it? For me personally it is more... that He can do it but I have a specific outcome I want rather than relying on His plan. Reading this gave me pause because it pointed out that prayer without faith is like casting your line into an empty pond.
This has always been one of my favorite verses. Our Father wants us to have what we need and he is always ready to listen and intercede on our behalf.
I found a Soul Care theme gem too. When Jesus was speaking of false prophets he said, "by their fruit you will recognize them." The false prophets of today may not be like the ones in Matthew...they may be more subtle and pervasive. It is easy to be lead into belief systems, especially in a political year, but what are the "fruits" of those belief systems?
Hugs to each of you and may you recognize the fruits of many strong, good trees in your life!
