bright days are ahead

What do you need to ask God today?

a prayer

God,

I stilled myself long enough to feel your presence. Your glorious sun is a warm hug.

The bird’s chatter speaks to my soul of your protection. Like all the green growth of the land

I know you many graces on my life. A cooling cloud soothes my fevered brow from worry.

All those before me knew your power to strengthen. I know it too. It heals and rests my tired old body.

I feel a strong sense that you are in charge (always have) and you alone can restore and heal

our world. May we appreciate and keep the goodness going to every corner of your creation.

So when this pandemic ends (and I believe it will) may we seek distance from fear, wear a holy mask

to say to the world NOTHING CAN HURT US THAT GOD CAN’T CONQUER.

In Christ Jesus,

Amen

Seven years Dad

 

never forgotten

my dad

1933-2013

God never leaves us

 

 

Alone I wander .

God?

I haven’t left.

Fearful I fret.

God?

I’m here.

Worried I cry out.

God?

Still here.

Lost I flounder.

God?

I hear you.

God?

Yes.

You are there.

I never left.

I guess I did.

Yes.

I’m sorry.

I know. I forgive you.

You do?

Of course, my child.

I love you too.

I know child. I’ve always loved you.

Thanks, God.

You are welcome.

Let's be nice now and after the virus!

 

 

Reading Maria Shriver’s The Sunday Paper. She finds the stories we need to focus on. Ones of great compassion, love and hope. Like every disaster or crisis that ever happened in the world since the beginning of time, these events bring us together at least for a while. If only it could stop there and hold us in a pattern of peace and support for each other. People are people.  We all have needs. We all have the same needs…shelter, love and sustenance. This comes through being with friends and family. This should flow easily. It should never be an effort of blood, sweat and tears. It must be natural. God made us to be and need companionship. God wants a relationship with each of us and for each of us to be in relationship with others. He created Eve for Adam. He created their children. He created us. We should value all He gave us and meant for us to live through.

the Lord looks at the heart

these days should help us know what matters

Amy Etchison’s CD has a wonderful song about her grandmother. In it she repeats the phrase “just passing through.” We all are. Our time on earth is a mere blink. Older we get faster the blink. While here we have to make the most of it. Friends and family come and go. We do not get to choose when or how long we have them with us. We do not get to decide when a life ends. We are not God. That is His job. He knows our life. He created out life. He gave us our first breath and he decides our last breath. We are responsible for the breaths between. We can live it cautious and anxious and angry or we can live it with abandon, throw caution to the wind and milk all we can from it. God gave us beauty to enjoy. He gave us people to love. He gave us lives to build around it all. He gave us hope and faith. He gives us all this daily actually. All we must do is be faithful, grateful and generous.  His goodness is worth our living day to day.

family tree is a great way to distance

God is!

 

OUR

 

Simply love your neighbors

We must ay attention!

scars

my scars are hidden

deep in my soul

mostly self-inflicted

decades of self-abuse

and self-neglect

times does not always heal

but filling up on God's word

and indulging in His love and peace

soothes wounds

and takes away the pain

 

 

keep praying

Hoping your Easter was blessed as mine was.

Despite worship at home on a dreary Easter Sunday, I was inspired, refreshed and restored.

He is Risen and Life will return

Happy Easter!

Jesus dies for you still

Things will improve

Patience

Prayer

Perseverance

 

 

sometimes we find our way without plans

Holy Week Reflection

 

 

Breathe

From your

HEART

Till it feels

Right

 

Speak

From your

SOUL

Till it sounds

Right

 

Love

From your

SPIRIT

Till it
IS RIGHT

The pieces will come together again!

On this Palm Sunday

Yesterday at my beloved Fernwood, I looked at the early lush green, peaceful landscape and wondered, this looks nothing like what we see in the news. Covin 19 rages and ravages but despite human issues of anger, sin, war, death, doubt, and rudeness, I see God’s hand still at work.

Where is peace in this new world?

Where is healing?

Where is love?

Where is forgiveness?

Where is grace?

Where is respect and honor?

Where is obedience?

Where is life?

Where is faith?

 

All this and more is found in the heart of every believer in Christ and the soul turned from sin. And the Holy Spirit dwelling within our broken hearted.

 

Our salvation is the gift of God’s mighty divinity. All we must do is take his hand and ask for his forgiveness. Then walk in his path throughout every day and every breath.

finding peace/borrowing words and color

Worry is practicing the absence of God’s presence.  Borrowed

borrow neat snippets from magazines and glue to pieces of your own art work.

have some fun while believing it will be over soon

Think of what you can do to lessen the effects of Coronavirus

 

This Lent we all are fasting in ways we never planned or expected.

Going without:

people we spend time with

routines

work

pay

busy-ness

excess

travel

school

apart in person but together in spirit

But in so many ways we are abundantly blessed. Despite the Coronavirus, people are putting othersfirst, risking their own health to help, giving their skills and goods. God’s people are helping all people. Maybe this will make all people become God’s people.

Ugly politics are forgotten. People are reaching not only across the aisle but across the world. Instead of tearing people down, they are building people up, giving to each a measure of help and hope.

God bless us one and all.