THOUGHTS!

As I sit on my porch and contemplate the beginning of hurricane season here in the southeast, I am consumed with thoughts of the chaos and pain in our country these past few weeks. 

Pain and suffering from senseless acts of harm towards others; adults, children, people from all walks of life!

I think about the chaos that is happening around the world; death, illness, disease, war, crimes against humanity.

My thoughts bring me to contemplation about what is happening to my denomination that I came to call home. Such pain and hurt happening amongst people that call themselves brother and sister.

These thoughts take me back to the time of Jesus and the chaos and pain that existed at the hands of the Roman government against the people of other countries. Countries that were overrun by a leader that wanted ultimate power and control.

Today I am thankful that in the midst of chaos, I can turn to the ONE that has brought HOPE. Hope only found in the ONE who brings PEACE, the Eternal One! Let us take time as we sit on our PORCHES to talk to the ONE who brings us comfort, JESUS, the Son of the ONE who breathed life into darkness at the beginning of time!

 

Words, what are in words? Each day a person speaks 1,000's of words. The question is, what do these words mean? What do they carry for the person speaking and for those listening?  Today we are so busy with life that we loose the meaning of the words spoken.  

We are now completed 2 years of a world pandemic. We were forced to recluse into our homes, away from the world. Away from others words, only to listen to the ones who lived in the same physical structure.  We were forced to only listen to words that came through electronic means. The cold computer was not able to reflect back to us the warmth of words spoken by other human beings.

Now where do we go, do we go back to the way it has always been? Not growing with what we have learned these past 2 years, or do we grow forward, take what we learned and make life better. 

One final question, did we use this quiet time to hear God's voice in the midst of panic, or did we get mad, sad, and lonely?  That is the question each one of has to ask and answer!

Let us not forget the quietness of a walk in the forest on a snow covered path, or the soft babble of a brook through the land that takes us to a place of washing away the old and refreshing our soul!

                     Sometimes words are not verbal, but found in the 

                                                            quietness 

                                              of the heart and soul!

MY NEW PORCH

 I have had the privilege of having another new porch. As we have moved to a part of the country that is warm and generally no snow. I had been able to redecorate!

Many times in our lives we have made decisions to redecorate a room or two.  Have you ever thought of the need to redecorate our heart and soul? Many have, many have not!  I always like to redecorate and rearrange. For me this pattern of decisions has allowed me to experience things in a new way. Could use the same furniture or basics; but movement of things gives a different perspective. 

So then, How about taking some time to redecorate and renew our soul. Take time to move that negative thinking in our lives to a place of no return. That place is at the foot of the cross. A place of forgiveness where we find grace!

For I am about to do something new.
    See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? Isaiah 43: 19a (NLT).

Now go start redecorating!!!

A New Calendar

 A new year means we flip the calendar and begin a new time.  Have you thought about your calendar for this new yer of 2022.  Some people check their calendar more than one time a day because the days activity could change often.  Some people use a calendar to remember birthdays and holidays. I remember my mom used a pocket calendar to write each January everyone's birthday, so she would send them a card. This task was very important to her every January. It could be considered a ritual. 

Are our rituals as important as writing important things to remember?

Some people use this new calendar to begin a new journal or maybe a new book list of reading ideas and accomplishments to be completed.

For me, it is a time of remembering what occurred the previous year and what I look forward to in the freshness of a new calendar. 

So let's get a new calendar, fill in the important dates to remember and believe that God will take care of the rest.

“So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time." Mark 6:34 ( The Living Bible)

 

Part 4 - ADVENT

                                                            A-D-V-E-N-T 

Today we remember the day that Jesus came to earth in the body of a new born baby. He came freely from his home in heaven, so that we could come to believe that He would grow to be the Savior of the world. 

That little hard, straw filled creche, became His cradle! 

The first photo is a picture of where they believe Jesus was born in Bethlehem. 

 

 Luke 2:7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. (NLT)

This photo is one that depicts what the bed of the new born king was laid to sleep!

A Star, A Star - the Shepherds saw the bright star in the east and followed it... The wise men saw the star and followed it.

We can look upon the heavens at night and see the stars and know that we can always be reminded of that great night over two thousand of years ago!

 

Matthew 2: 1-2  "Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking", ² "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose,  and we have come to worship him." (NLT)

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Advent - Part 3

                                                             A-D-V-E-N-T

    Navigation takes practice and patience. A great tool to use is a compass! It provides for us the direction to get to our destination.  

As a Christian we use the Holy Scripture as our compass, it will lead us to our eternal destination, our place in eternity with God.

This Advent, let us sharpen our compass skills and walk toward our eternal place, a Life with Christ!

How many times have you made hot chocolate with marshmellows as a tradition when decorating the Christmas tree? 

     We sing Christmas carols and light the Advent wreath each year to remind us of the first night of Jesus's birth. The tradition of Advent helps us to re-think what should be important! A Savior born in a small town on a hillside in Bethlehem. The tradition of love, joy and eternity!

Advent - Part 2

V - Vision - When we think about Advent we might not think about vision, yet having vision is so important! Vision tells us of what is to come. The anticipation of the birth of Jesus the Son of God in that small town in Palestine...Bethlehem!  

 

 

 

 

 

Vision helps us to think about what life will be like once his birth is announced through the singing of the angels!

Let us never loose our vision for what God has for us!

 

 

 

 

E - Eternal - When we think about eternity, it is very hard to wrap our brains around forever. Have you ever tried to describe eternity to a child, they struggle just as adults do when trying to comprehend forever. Yet God teach us that He has forgiven our sins as far as the east is from the west. Psalm 103:12 "He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." (NLT).

Out of Advent comes vision and things eternal!