Tag: the Bible

Momentary Afflictions

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2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “Therefore we do not loose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary affliction is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Thirty five years ago I woke up from anesthesia following an appendectomy and hear this little song in my mind as my conscienceless returned to me: “The birds upon the tree tops sing their songs, they lift their little voices all life long, so why can’t I? Why can’t you, Praise Him Too!” It has taken me nearly that long to understand that purpose statement in my life.

When my ears are nearly blowing up from the sinus pressure of a very long allergy season, how do I find my voice to Praise God? When the wind is blowing and the low whine is driving me insane just as the wind nearly did some thirty years earlier during a blizzard, how do I Praise God now? How can I praise God when I am having a bad day physically, because my eyes don’t tell me where I am anymore? There are days I find it hard to find a song of praise.

These present afflictions can go on and on some days zapping our energy, our hope, our focus, our love, our kindness and even our faith. We live in a world of full of erosion and destruction. Every day becomes a battle to grow an inner belief that does not fade.

So taking a look at the moments in my life today. What is true? My first focus of any day is what is the weather. I want to know how to dress. I am so glad that I have a home that keeps me out of the elements all night long and that I have a device to tell me how the weather is for the day. The truth is the air surrounding me is more my focus than the One who gives me the ability to breath that air. Lord, thank You for giving me so much!

What is noble? Looking for the grandeur amongst the clay pots of life is more to be commended that studying the dirt that fills the pot. For me it’s all about the beauty of the plant in the pot. Today, the holiday cactus put a new blooms on. Last year I have five months of continuous blooms on the plant. It amazes me to see the beauty of the trumpeting bloom declaring God’s infinite imagination!

What is just? While many of us wish life could always be fair, much of the time it simply is not. Like what justice is there in my husband’s having a muscular dystrophy that is so obscure and debilitating? What justice is there in giving me a body that could walk miles but lungs that won’t allow it? Physcially speaking living in a fallen world means justice is not to had within our life here. God’s justice is not often known here on earth. It’s eternal justice that we seek, and even that is only done by the everlasting kindness of a merciful God through Jesus.

What is pure? There are days, I am reminded that little Kona has a little white spot on his chest. I think of that spot as his purity mark. Dog’s love with pure abandon. They have no preconceived plans for the day. They have no concept of anything other than what we offer them. God put His mark of love in Kona’s little heart and it shines right through to make a spot on his chest reminding me that God loves us with pure abandon also. Jesus left his home in heaven and came to show us what pure love looks like. It is so bright it sends all the darkness away!

What things are lovely? Praise God for so many lovely thoughts to turn me our of my troubling mindset. The wind can really do a number on me mentally. But only God can take this momentary affliction and help me find things to Praise Him about. It is lovely to have a classic radio station to drown out the wind. It is lovely to have husband that loves me enough to call and see how I’m handling the day. It is lovely to have a puppy lean on my legs and tell me I am not alone.

What good report have I to share with you? I finished the pink / gray scarf with the nordic Freyja heart pattern. I did it thinking about breast cancer awareness. I have two aunts and now a cousin who has survived the dreaded cancer. That is a good report!

Kona testing the rug that is finally finished. He is starting to do the comfy test on every item I crochet.

What virtuous and praise worthy thing can I meditate on today? So thankful for my daughter’s and the virtues that God has instilled in them. From one being a mother that constantly plants good seeds into her children, to the other being a boss that lifts up her employees to do their best, God has granted me two beautiful women to watch on a daily basis be praiseworthy and virtuous .

Phillipians 4 verse eight says, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of a good report if there be any virtue or if there be anything praise worthy, think (meditate) on these things.” (ESV). I use to get stuck on the whatever attitude that people had for a time, something like the overuse of the word “like.” Thinking on the good report rather than all the negative bad news in the world is a focus challenge. While my ears feel like they are about to blow up and I am deciding on whether I need more medicine or the doctor, I must decide to think upon the good report. For example, today the tub of onions that I received from my dad’s onion patch got tipped over at some point last spring. We just left it that way, and sure enough the onions prefer growing on the ground than in the tub. I was able to harvest a few for my chicken noodle soup today.

Greenhouse update or good report: The aloe vera plant went crazy this past year loving the atmosphere in the dome. I now have seven plants to give away where there was just two before. I’ll keep two and get rid of the extra.

My crochet story good report: I finished the pink scarf and started another. Even though I lost a whole bag of yarn this last few months. I misplaced while preparing for the grandkids overnight stay when little newborn brother came along. I still have not found the lost bag of yarn. My husband was nice and let me buy more!

Second Friday: Creature Comforts

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The second Friday of the year finds my eyesight rather clouded. I know that I went to bed in a distressed state last night. I know that I did not sleep very well. I know that I spend all my energies up yesterday with the grandkids. I know that it’s been rather cold outside and two days in a row I felt so cold for hours that my bones hurt. It does not help knowing. It feels like there is sinus slime over my vision and the veil of film that cannot be seen restricts my vision.

Today is the second Friday of the year. I am finally trying to get back to my regular journaling. With the new year resolving to remember by writing is always part of my thoughts. How can I do better this year?

This second Friday of the year is like a new second chance. Yet doing better at say dishes, or laundry, or house cleaning, or even meal prep is still not high priority. Disdain for the daily dull drum is part of my makeup. A quote from I book that I recently read a second time comes to mind. Isabal Kuhn missionary to China had a very wise grandmother. She wrote in one of Isabel’s autograph books, “A noble life is not a blaze of sudden glory won, but just in the adding up of days in which good works are done.”

This quote struck me as singularly fitting to the beginning of this year 2025 in which one or two evil seeded characters left us with a January 1st that many will not soon forget. Some in fact found in hard to continue on with celebrations of beginnings anew. The daily dull drum seems rather appealing to me rather than such tragic excitement.

I started and finished a baby blanket that needs to get in the mail. The little darling has already gained a half pound to her birth weight. I lamented the family not getting to even meet her until she is nearly crawling. Perhaps, I could get out of my comfort zone and go visiting. that sounds ludacrous.

When you get the wrong package, and the neighbor gets your package: Do you call the delivery company, or the neighbor? I texted the neighbor. And we had it all settled in less than two hours. I probably would have been on the phone that long with the delivery company. Sometimes thins are best settled on our own terms.

The days home alone can be quite uneventful, and then again… The new year has had it’s share of visiting strangers. Today the rural water serviceman came to take a look at our intake water pit. Yes there is a slow drippy leak. No it does not show up on the meter. Yes the T-offs have some corrosion after twenty three years. yes the sediment filter was a little clogged. No it was not really affecting the water pressure. Any other questions? Oh the plant system building is concrete and not really a geodesic structure. Okay now that I am thoroughly froze once again, can Charlie please have another cookie..

Kona in his rug bed. Crochet circle with sweater sleeve edging, stuffed with fiber fill for a perfect puppy pillow!

Today was just another day in which I once agin realized I love Charlie more than I ever really liked Honey. Poor girl. We just were not really suited for each other. All that training…. Such a long time investment. Charlie has had virtually no blind guide training, yet his loyalty to me won by cookies alone, gets him to my aid in record time. And he just seems to understand, when I say slow down, watch for the step, where is the repairman, or whatever. Loyalty is preferred to friendliness. Charlie can be a little rude as a guard dog, but he does his job well.

The latest C2C installment with the backwards bobble stitch border. Takes longer to do the border than the blanket. Pretty wintery baby colors!

Creature comforts are what make a home hospitable. So I took one of the rugs from my mother’s dispersals and made one of those dog beds. We also bought a couple more for the vehicles and going places. A dog needs a place to call his own. And after teaching “place” for all this time it works well. Finally took two hours to teach him “please” the other day. Maybe that will work for the outside need. Maybe.

Green things make me feel at home. the Holiday cactus on it’s pedestal perch has not stopped blooming since my hubby’s dad passed away. I have never seen a cactus bloom for such a long time frame. We have been blessed with blooms for two and half months now. The nectar picture is a pleasant surprise. The citronella took root and I have two happy plants. One to share, and one for myself. The Kalanchoe has little blooms buds. But no sign of what color the flowers will be yet. The seedlings are up in the greenhouse and it’s time to start another tray os something. Miniature zinnias first I suppose. Maybe marigolds! Oh, and I should probably send some seed to the little darling the blanket is for, because that is her name!

Holiday cactus on pedestal-air flow means more blooms. Citronella in greenhouse rooted in! And Kalanchoe on the right will have blooms some day! What color will they be?

The verse for the week is Isaiah 46:9-10 “Remember the former things of old: for I Am God, and there is no other: I Am God and there is none like me. Declaring the end from he beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all My purpose.’” And more than ever, I need to reminded who God is, who the Sovereign of the Universe is, and Who is working right in my own little circle of influences to make each and everyone of those that i know and pray for His purpose.

A little table talk

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“Oma, Pray!”

Recently, my visit to my daughter’s house brought about a very hilarious reprimand. Here’s the short version.

We took the dog to the daycare for the day, so that she could get some social life in. It does help with the dog’s personality to have other dog firends, I am told. So at the end of the day I was anticipating a text message from my husband on whether or no he should get me first from the granddaughter’s grasp, or the go pick up the dog.

Meanwhile, the violin teacher had a long enough break to eat supper as a family, so I sat down with them at the table to join in the table talk. Just befoe the meal daddy was preparing to pray for the meal, and little 21 month old, granddaughter was obedintly folding her hands in ready. Just at that moment my husband sends his query though text message, and I was going to answer it. Not on little girl’s watch, however. She piped right up with her little voice, and said, “Oma!” Hands-together-pray! I got the message. Gving thanks for the day and her meal, and her family was more important than answering Opa. Bother. Reprimanded by a child!

It has been a difficult week. Any time their is a death in the family we all ache and grieve for those we have lost and for those left behind. Sometimes we just want to scream in agony and other times the tears flow softly. Mourning seems to be the topic settled on all too frequently.

Urgency in our communications and our attempts to love on others is a tricky balance. There is no magic when it comes to saying and doing the right things. Being with is probably the most important. Just sitting and listening can be the healing that is part of the time process. In our fast paced, media driven society, just sitting is something most people have a hard time accomplishing.

If there is someone in your life who has experienced loss recently, know that taking time to just sit with your loved one is the most importatn thing that you can do for them.

My life however, has been a bit full of just sitting.

To the point of about ten extra winter pounds. So yesterday I let the ants in my pants get me out of the house to roam the fields around the acreage with the dog. It was rather brisk and cold. The wind just tore at my skin. I did not last very long. About twenty minutes each time. Not much of an exercise boost.

Crochet praying has been my mantel piece for a number of years. And this past week has kept me focused on the needs. How do I express the pain to my Lord that I feel for those who are hurting? There is a Bible verse that has been on my heart lately.

Romans chapter eight was one of the Bible passages that we picked to study. The last year that the girls were both home schooled we took one verse each week for focus meditation. Becasue the chapter has 38 verses it lines up perfectly with the school calendar. There are so many awesome promises in the chapter it is highly recommended for memorization.

Verse 26 is the promise that has stuck with me this last week.

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should ray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (ESV) Romans 8:26

While we try to make sense of the pain and the suffering that is part of life here on earth, I am so grateful that God has provided me with these promises. When my heart and my mind cannot come up with the right words to say, and when my words get all muttled up in my prayers and supplications, God has provided an intercessor. The Holy Spirit acts as the best defense lawyer ever in my case to get the right plea to the Master.

I know a lot of this might be really foreign to some readers, but I do take my role as a prayer warrior very seriously. And I am so thankful that while I pray, God has given me the grace to fidget with my fingers and create things of beauty with crochet.

Thank You, Jesus!

And so on and so forth

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Jibber, jabber

“Iyee, iyee, yiy, aah, aahh, da, daiyee, aahh.” And that is how our little nine month old sings, or says Ee Iy Ee Iy Ooh. Or whatever it is she says. The joy we have while with her, drove Grumpah Opa to drive to her church last Sunday to surprise them all. And Lunch afterwards was fun too. Watching her push the protective hands away as she stands up to toys or sofa cushions is also a joy. She is trying to do it herself. Independence and ability is driving her want to move and grow. What a joy! (We no longer share her image with the world, for her security safety and well being.) This is our little grand-daughter’s attempt at all fours this week.

And so it is Friday once again. There really isn’t anything to write about. Some people talk about nothing longer than I can. But really, they usually repeat the same old stories. Jibber, jabber of a nine month old is pleasant, but the “and so on and so forth” of other conversations can be well, pleasantly ended.

It’s super cold again. Above the little black Fleece kitty sits on an old gate pole to warm himself. At times he seems a more pleasing option than the female that takes up our residence. Sometimes, choices are not always ours.

And so on with the cold. Vague remembrances come to mind of forecasts for a mild winter. With the frigid temperatures that we have had, this is not mild. While we have not had the several feet of snow that others experienced, there is still enough white stuff hear to qualify for “not that mild” in my book.

Facts are the best things to settle on. For me the thought process seems to be hard as the ice in the heated pet dish outside. So here are some facts.

Honey had a haircut.

She has never been to the professional salon in her one and a half yearsof life. We setit up the other day when we were up at my daughter’s house. She could drive her there and go get her. Honey came back so soft and girlie smelling. The next day she kept looking at me like “What else do you know? What other secrets do you have? Thanks, mom! I feel so good!” It was definitely a sense of wonderment.

My hubby dear caught his first winter cold. Just a touch of sinus inconvenience. So I have tried to make a few meals that are still in his “keto” food range. I do think he needs to pick up a few more carbs now and again, but that’s opinionated. I also have tried to eat less on the carb side and less on the fat thing though too. Moderation and watching the waistline are the main attractions to any food plan.

The cat almost has me ready to throw her outside again. She has managed to nibble one of my plants down to a stub again after it had nearly returned to whole. Of course eating spider plant means she has a tummy ache, so she cries constantly. Very annoying for a cat. Especially when I have figured out that the only time I even like her remotely is when she is purring on my lap. I have not enjoyed playing with her, when all the rest of the time is dealing with discipline issues. More toys-HA!

Today it is once again too cold to go play outside Honey. Sorry. But the haircut worked and she will sit with me on the sofa now. Do I fee a draft? Brrr- it is so cold!

Having a soft plush live puppy is nothing like a soft plush stuffed puppy. She won’t even eat all of her food in the monring, so much for stuffed. The kitten however stuffed acts like we are starving her. She will eat anything that she smells. Good thing the lotions have lids on them.

My crochet projects are all on the slow tract. The food I fix takes days to eat. The winter drags on into the near spring. The days can be long and strenuous. Every once in awhile someone surprises me with a phone call or text. Jibber, jabber and so on and so forth.

Ecclesiastes 2:11 (paraphrase) “then I looked on all that the works of my hands and it seemed all my labor was as if grasping for the wind”. All the crochet hook has caught is like pulling wind through loops of air and the vanity of my attempts to creat a thing disappears like the seeds of the cottonwood tree in the summer breeze. Ahh, maybe next week the projects will go better. Jab, jab, jibber, and so forth.

Strings of the Heart

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When love plays it’s song

Love stories can be pretty sappy …

So if you aren’t a believer in things that make the heart sing then this post is not for you.

Being the parents of daughters can be a heart wrenching, night watching , prayer vigilante experience. When the day comes that some young man calls for a supper date with Dad or a breakfast outing, well, it makes mom both excited and nervous.

A few years ago we had the joy of adding a ‘son’ to our family when our oldest daughter was tearfully marched down the aisle on her fathers arm. The joy on those two young faces as they swept out of the sanctuary some forty minutes later was oblivious to the pain of a sister saying goodbye to her playmate. And now another joy has come. That sister who felt so abandoned by the other is now experiencing her own incredible joy.

‘That boy ‘ called for a breakfast date with her father… and so we are blessed now with the hope of another ‘son’ to add to our family. The funny part is that this second daughter time, my heart is not aching for a sister left behind, so to speak. My mother’s heart is not torn by ones joy and another’s sadness. This time I able to feel the full joy of my daughter being engaged. Her excitement over God’s design to their love story is so contagious. And yes, Dad is now able to be excited about another son.

Years ago Dad would often be heard saying- “Girls are nice.” And now he gets to add and “son in laws are pretty nice too.”

The funniest thing in the whole evening of the proposal might was… watching her dad, his son in law and the nervous young man decorating the ‘proposal sight.’ The phone call from the soon to be fiancée with a desperate “I could use a little support here” plea was responded to with laughter and the tender love of a father. Watching the mean get into their romantic” nature was so sweet. I nearly cried just watching them prepare for this special moment.

Strings of the heart…

Both of my daughter’s play stringed instruments, so when I think of the old saying “love plays on the strings of the heart” I often wonder how it sounds. Yet I know from my own experience, it’s not really a song as it is a feeling. Then it’s not just a feeling, it’s a choice. Tugging on the strings of the heart, love pulls people together like the invisible force of magnetism. How this happens is such a mystery. Hearts do not really have strings, do they?

Yet maybe… Because three days back at work, my first daughter could hardly handle the way her heart was being tugged at by her beautiful baby girl. “Stay home” was the song that it was playing. Stay home with your baby girl and enjoy these growing up years. Indeed… She listened to the song and is now staying home with her lovely baby.

The burning flame…

Our daughter’s fiancée was so thoughtful in every detail. From the candles, to the roses, to the symphony tickets on the table, he provided an atmosphere that reflected his heart. Love is like that. Later in the evening, much later as the event happened after the scavenger hunt he sent her on, I took time to read “their verse” from the Song of songs.

“Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Loves flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord.” –The Song of Solomon‬ ‭8:6‬ ‭ESV‬‬. http://bible.com/59/sng.8.6.esv

Of course, my old brain came up with a bunch of old country western “burning flame” songs to meditate on as I fell asleep. The Lord’s love as a burning flame is not something my soul settled on until later.

The first of the Ten Commandments uses the phrase ‘”God is a jealous god.” Jealousy is something I always thought of as bad. When it applies to the negative actions of the spurned lover to his betrayed one, yes, there are often some very bad actions that follow the jealous heart. But what about the positive jealous of love that insists on serving the needs of the loved one first?

Now, this is a completely new thought to the idea of jealous love. Perhaps it really fits best into the passage from I Corinthians 13 verse five —

“Love is not rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.”

This is a completely different way of thinking about jealous love. Love for another that demands a focus on the one we choose to love. Insists on the abandonment of selfish wants and desires and consistently desires the best for the ones we love.

Wow!

I am so thankful that after 28 years of knowing my sweet husband, I can honestly say that the love we share is one of jealous, fierce, burning love that will last until the grave. I hope that like my elderly friend who lost her dear one of 69 years, our love for each other will last past the grave. And be just as strong as when the candle was first lit so many years earlier.

My prayer for my daughters and sons is that same burning flame. Strong and sure, jealous and fierce, never ending flame.