National Creativity Day

 

Apparently it is today, May 30.  Who knew?  I am just going to share a few thoughts --  mostly a repost of something I wrote back in 2010.  Creativity has always been very important to me and I find that I really need to do something creative each day, even if it's only finding a creative solution to an everyday problem.  I think all of us are designed to reflect our Creator God in this way, even if we aren't fully living that out. 

Many years ago I happened upon some unique Thomas Kinkade calendars at the dollar store. They were unusual because each month emphasized living our lives in light of a particular quality. One that stood out to me was "Living in the Light of Creativity." 

 I was thinking about this concept one afternoon as I worked in my simple scrapbook journal. I had cut out the little picture of this particular calendar page from the back of the calendar, and was preparing to paste it into my journal. I mused for a few minutes on what it means to live one's life in the light of creativity.

The artist, Thomas Kinkade, had written his thoughts on this calendar page. He wrote, "When I create, God lights a fresh candle of joy for the world." I thought, That's undoubtedly true of Thomas Kinkade. Even though he has passed on now, each of his paintings has, or may yet, "light a candle of joy" for countless people all over the world.

But what about me? What does it look like when I live my life in the light of creativity?

When I personally create, I know it "lights a candle of joy" for me. I seem to need creativity in my life to feel truly complete. As I mentioned earlier, a little creativity each day -- be it in the craft room, at the computer, or in the kitchen -- seems necessary for me.

And now I'm thinking that just maybe, those on the receiving end of the creativity -- readers of a poem, blog post,  or devotional thought; loved ones enjoying a magnificent dessert, a homey meal, a cozy room, some homemade fudge,  or a hand-crafted gift -- will have a "candle of joy" lit for them as well. Because when all is said and done, creativity is not just a God-given gift for our own enjoyment; it's a reflection of His own creativity, and it's meant to be shared.

Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture!  This is part of an ongoing series on my simple study of Rachel Wojo's Everything Beautiful.  You can read about the plan here if you are interested in it for yourself: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series are a combination of what I learned back in 2018, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm attempting to SOAP the passages too, though some of them are longer. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Today's study is from Isaiah 61:1-11.

S= "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening  of the prison to those who are bound;

" To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

"To appoint unto those who mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes,the oil of joy for mourning, the garment  of praise for the spirit of  heaviness, if hat they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.

" And  they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

"And foreigners shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

"But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD; men shall call you the Ministers of our God; ye shall eat the riches of the nations; and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

"For your shame ye shall have double, and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion;  therefore, in their land they shall possess a double portion; everlasting joy shall be unto them.

"For I, the LORD, love justice, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.   

"And their seed shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed whom the LORD hath blessed.  

"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation; He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

"For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations."  (Isaiah 61:1-11)

O= C.I. Scofield titles verse 1-3 in my Scofield study Bible: "Christ's two advents in one view."

Cross-references for "Spirit of the Lord GOD" (v.1) -- "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced."  (Zechariah 12:10)

"But they rebelled, and vexed His Holy Spirit; therefore, He was turned to be their enemy; and He fought against them." (Isaiah 63:10)

Cross-reference for "upon Me" (v.1) -- "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."  (Luke 4:19-20)

Cross-reference for "Me" (v.1) -- "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven."  (Acts 1:11)

Cross-references for "anointed" (v.1) -- "Then Jesus, answering, said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard: how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached."  (Luke 7:22)

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit, and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him."  (Acts 10:38)

William MacDonald wrote of verses 1-4: "We know that the Lord Jesus is the speaker here because He quoted verses 1-2a in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4:16-21) and added, 'Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing' (Luke 4:21).  He was anointed with the Holy Spirit at His baptism and His earthly ministry was concerned with bringing the good tidings of salvation to the poor, binding up the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to sin's captives, and opening .. the prison of those who were bound.  He ended the quotation with the words 'to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD' because what follows, 'the day of vengeance of our God' will not be fulfilled until His Second Advent.  At His glorious appearing, He will proclaim the day of God's judgment."

Cross-reference for "day of vengeance" (v.2) -- "For it is the day of the LORD's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion."  (Isaiah 34:8)

Cross-references for "covenant" (v.8) -- "Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah."  (Jeremiah 31:31)

Hebrews tells us that Jesus "is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.  For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.  For finding fault with them, He saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah."  (Hebrews 8:6-8)

Cross-references for "robe of righteousness" (v.10) -- "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."  (Isaiah 64:6)

"Let us be glad, and rejoice, and give honor to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of saints."  (Revelation 19:7-8)

A= For this Scripture, there were a number of ways to apply it as prompted in the journal.  

"God transforms ashes into beauty." -- Rachel Wojo

He also replaces mourning with the oil of joy, and He replaces the spirit of heaviness with the garment of praise.

Paul van Gorder wrote in Our Daily Bread, "Praise is powerful! When Scottish pastor Robert Murray McCheyne was troubled with a coldness of heart toward the things of the Lord, he would sing the praises of God until he felt revived in his spirit. Those in his household were often able to tell what hour he awoke because he began the day with a psalm of praise.
"Perhaps you feel as if you are mired in [despondency].   Lift a song of praise to the Lord. The psalmist said, 'I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever'  (89:1). When we do that, the praise will flow not only from our lips but also from our heart. The Lord delights to give 'the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness'!"

Rachel also shares a "focus word" in each of the devotional pages.  I hadn't previously paid much attention to these for the Sunday Scripture posts, but have decided to do so now.

For this lesson the focus word is "replaces".  In thinking of this word, I noted: God replaces mourning with joy, and replaces heaviness with praise.  He replaces our sinful self-righteousness with Christ's righteousness.  There are so many things that He replaces when we trust Jesus as our Savior!

Concerning the "robe of righteousness" mentioned in verse 10, Scofield writes: "The garment in Scripture is a symbol of righteousness.  In the bad ethical sense it symbolizes self-righteousness (Isaiah 64:6).  In the good ethical sense the garment symbolizes 1) the basic provision of God's salvation by grace through faith in Christ (Isaiah 61:10) and 2) the garment of 'fine linen' ... the righteousnesses [literally righteous deeds, the Greek dikaioma] of saints ... works of godliness and goodness produced by the Holy Spirit, as the believer judges the flesh and yields himself to God.  These are the 'good works' unto which we are 'created in Christ Jesus' (Ephesians 2:10) and with which believers are to adorn themselves to bring honor to Christ's name here and hereafter."

Concerning the phrase "the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified", in verse 3, Charles Spurgeon noted: "This, 'The planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified'  ... is the end of it all, that is the great result we drive at, and that is the object even of God himself, 'that he might be glorified'. For when men see the cheerful Christian, and perceive that this is God's work, then they own the power of God; not always, perhaps, with their hearts as they should, but still they are obliged to confess 'this is the finger of God.' Meanwhile, the saints, comforted by your example, praise and bless God, and all the church lifts up a song to the Most High." What encouraging, uplifting thoughts!

The question was asked: What one thought can I surrender to create room for seeing moments of grace?

My response in 2018: The concern of wondering what people will think of what I'm doing to maintain comfort with my back pain.  [I guess I was thinking this because I was returning to church for first time since my injury, and was bringing a rocking chair into the sanctuary.]

Answering this same question in 2024: The thought that I can do or accomplish anything of eternal value -- or anything at all! -- in and of myself.

This prompt was given, along with a list: Today I will keep my eyes open for God's beauty in one or more of these places.

These are the places I circled: The words I read; the places I go; the music I hear; the people I encounter; the air I breathe; the weather I experience; the rest I receive; the grace I give.

In 2024 I can note that for the air I breathe, it was scented with lilacs from two beautiful trees there at The Wilds of New England.  What a delight to breathe that delightful fragrance in our comings and goings around the courtyard!

For the weather I experience, I mentioned glorious sunshine on a spring morning.

A journaling prompt was this:  Everything God made is beautiful.  Where have I noticed God's beauty in the last 24 hours?

My response in 2018: In the encouragement and prayers of others.  In the supportive touch and care of my husband.  Noticing an icicle hanging from the branches of a nearly leafless tree -- a striking decoration (that, I realize now, is another instance of replacing!).  In the servants' hearts of others.  In the insights and lessons learned shared by ladies in my Sunday School class.

For my response in 2024, I added:  Getting to take a jeep ride with friends to a gorgeous, inspirational spot overlooking forests and mountains.  Finding, to our surprise, a patch of beautiful blue forget-me-nots at our cottage.

P= "Lord, I do thank You for how You transform ashes into beauty in our lives!  You are so good and so kind!  I praised You in 2018 for allowing me to be back with Your people in Your house for the first time since my fall. What a blessed encouragement it was to be there!

 I continue to praise You for bringing me through that trial  and for giving me strength to serve You now in so many ways beyond what I had been doing back then.  I thank You for all You have done and for all that You are continuing to do,  in Jesus' name , Amen."

 And there is this week's Sunday Scripture!  I pray it's a blessing to someone.

A refreshing day by the water

 

Yesterday we took an impulsive day trip to the Maine coast, a brief interlude between the busyness of May at TWNE and a busy summer catching up with things at home & camp as well as a potential road trip in July. 

Dunkin is often a day trip essential for us.  This time it was only a box of Munchkins which I didn't bother to photograph, choosing to use this older more classic photo instead.

 We got no photos at all of the beaches or lighthouse (we have plenty of those from other times and seasons) although we did go to both places.  The beach, though nowhere near as crowded as it will be in summer, was still much too crowded to enjoy walking on, so we were glad we knew of other walking options. 

And thus we got pictures of the lovely flowers along a favorite path, the Fisherman's Walk in York Harbor. 

This path winds along the ocean at the base of a hill and there are many lovely old plantings from the mansions situated above. These lilacs were especially beautiful and fragrant. 

Other photos are of pink bush honeysuckle,

  a yellow flowering bush or tree we couldn't identify,

and a deep purple lilac in the yard of a beautiful old home at the top of a side street. 

The deep purple lilacs are our favorites.

 
We had a refreshing day by the water.  I didn't realize until today how refreshed I feel.  We got home in time for a healthy supper, went to bed while it was still light out, and slept soundly.  Today I feel ready to tackle housework and other tasks with renewed energy.  So thankful for God's kindness in giving us this lovely day away.

Sunday Scripture

Time for another Sunday Scripture!  This is part of an ongoing series on my simple study of Rachel Wojo's Everything Beautiful.  You can read about the plan here if you are interested in it for yourself: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series are a combination of what I learned back in 2018, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm attempting to SOAP the passages too, though some of them are longer. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Today's study is from Acts 3:1-10.

S= "Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

" And a certain man, lame from his birth, was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful,  to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

"Who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked an alms.

" And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, with John, said, Look on us.

"And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something from them.

" Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none, but, such as I have, give I thee.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.

"And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

" And he, leaping up, stood and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

"And all the people saw him walking and praising God,

" And they knew that it was he who sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.". (Acts 3:1-10)

O= This passage is titled by Scofield, "The first apostolic miracle: the lame man healed."

Peter and John went up to the temple "at the hour of prayer ...  the ninth hour."  (v.1)  A marginal note tells us that this was 3 pm.

Concerning the Beautiful Gate (v.2, 10)  Warren Wiersbe explains in Be Dynamic, his study of Acts 1-12, "There were nine gates that led from the Court of the Gentiles into the temple itself.  Scholars are not agreed, but the Beautiful Gate was probably the 'Eastern Gate' that led into the Court of the Women.  Made of Corinthian bronze, the gate looked like gold; and it certainly was a choice place for a lame man to beg."

Cross-reference for "in the name of Jesus Christ ..." (v.6) -- "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him does this man stand before you well."  (Acts 4:10)

Cross-references for "received strength" (v.7) -- "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people ..." (Acts 5:12) 

"And Jesus put forth His hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean.  And immediately his leprosy was cleansed."  (Matthew 8:3)

"And it came to pass that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux; to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.  So when this was done, others also in the island, who had diseases, came and were healed."  (Acts 28:8-9)

Cross-reference for "all the people" (v.9) -- The Sanhedrin "conferred among themselves, saying, what shall we do to these men?  For that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all those who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it ... So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people; for all men glorified God for that which was done."  (Acts 4:16, 21)

A= For this Scripture, there were a number of ways to apply it as prompted in the journal.  

"I long to portray the kind of beauty that makes people stop and ponder." -- Rachel Wojo

I so agree with this thought!   It fits with "all to the glory of God".  This spring Mr. T and I have been serving as volunteers maintaining a truly beautiful place -- The Wilds of New England.  In every season, even winter and spring when the camp is not functioning, it portrays beauty in its buildings and plantings.  I believe it is the kind of beauty that frequently does make people stop and ponder why this organization puts their heart and soul into doing all to God's glory.  And in answering that question they will find the answer to their own hearts' needs as well. 

Warren Wiersbe notes in With the Word: "Peter and John were not so caught up with large crowds that they had no time for individuals.  Nor were they so busy in ministry that they could not pray.  They had learned their lessons well from the Lord Jesus."

He adds, "The emphasis in chapters 3-4 is on the name of Jesus, the name above every name (Philippians 2:9-11).  Faith in the name of Jesus releases power so that lives are changed.  To pray or minister in His name means to ask or act on His authority so that He alone gets the glory."

Rachel also shares a "focus word" in each of the devotional pages.  I hadn't previously paid much attention to these for the Sunday Scripture posts, but have decided to do so now.

So for this lesson the focus word is "miracle".  In thinking of this word, I noted: We see in this passage how Peter and John, in the power of Jesus' name,  did a miracle in the life of a lame man.  And it's another miracle every time a lost sinner comes to know Jesus as Savior!  

This incredible display of the Daffodils of Dunbarton is on both sides of the road on our route to our volunteer jobs.  So beautiful!

The question was asked: What season or circumstance in life challenges me to see God's gifts of beauty?

My response in 2018: This season right now -- being injured and trying to take proper care of myself, feeling pretty miserable a lot of the time -- is indeed challenging.

Answering this same question in 2024:

 I think what might be the most challenging is any time of trial -- whether something physical as in 2018, or another type of difficulty.  As I look back at my responses from that time of injury, I am so thankful that God helped me to see some of His beauty then.  But even more thankful that He helped me grow through that time so I am much more open to seeing His gifts of beauty.

This prompt was given, along with a list: Today I will keep my eyes open for God's beauty in one or more of these places.

These are the places I circled: The words I read; the people I encounter; the air I breathe; the weather I experience; the rest I receive.

In 2024 I can note that for the words I read, I had been reading Isaiah 61 and was struck by the beautiful descriptions of God and His working found in that passage.

For the weather I experience, I mentioned a soft, steady spring rain nourishing the colorful flowers and green grass.

For the people I encounter, I noted the beauty of God's people working together to do all for His glory.

A journaling prompt was this:  List one or more ideas to remind myself to intentionally look for God's beauty throughout the day.

My response in 2018: Look out the window; enjoy the snowy landscape.  Walk outside if possible, soaking up some sunshine, listening for birdsong.

For my response in 2024, I added:  Notice the many beautiful flower beds and plantings here at TWNE, along with the unplanted ones like marsh marigolds blooming brightly in a stream, purple and white violets blooming everywhere, and a solitary dandelion springing up in the middle of a brick patio.

Marsh marigolds

P= "Lord, I too would long to portray the kind of beauty that makes people stop and ponder.  The season of pain and difficulty I underwent in 2018, though, was so very ugly that I just couldn't see how that would happen.  I prayed back then that somehow my trusting and resting in You while waiting for my body to heal would show forth Your beauty in some way.  

Now, with that trial six years in the rear-view mirror, I praise You for bringing me through it and for allowing me now to serve You in a place of great beauty, a place that requires much hard work and planning on the part of many people to maintain that beauty.   I thank  You for allowing me and my husband to be a part of all You are doing there. I pray in Jesus' name , Amen."

 And there is this week's Sunday Scripture!  I pray it's a blessing to someone.

 

A bit of springtime

 

We're super busy doing a lot of coming and going for our volunteer jobs at The Wilds of New England.  But I thought I'd share a few photos of spring's beauty.

These are at our house.  Primroses that come back each year.

These gorgeous tulips, along with the other flowers in this post, are at The Wilds of New England.

Magenta phlox setting off all the other colors.

Lastly, some glorious red and yellow tulips.

There you have it.  Just a short little post, but I'm sure readers agree that these photos speak volumes concerning God's creative handiwork and the intricacies of His design. 🌷

Sunday Scripture

 

Here's another in our ongoing series for Sunday Scripture!  You may recall me mentioning that back in 2018, I did a simple study from Rachel Wojo called Everything Beautiful.  You can read about the plan here if you are interested in it for yourself: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series are a combination of what I learned back then, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm going to attempt to SOAP the passages too, though some of them are longer. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  The passage for this week is Romans 10:11-16.

S= "For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.
"For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the same Lord over all is rich unto those who call upon Him.
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
"How, then, shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?  And how shall they hear without a preacher?
"And how shall they preach, except they be sent?  As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
"But they have not all obeyed the gospel.  For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?"  (Romans 10:11-16)

O= Scofield titles the section starting in verse 14 as "Worldwide outreach of the Gospel: God would have all to be saved."

Cross-references for "saith" (v.11) -- "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16)

 "As it is written, behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense; and whosever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed."  (Romans 9:33)

Cross-reference for  "whosoever" (v. 11) -- "And ... thou shalt know that I am the LORD, for they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me."  (Isaiah 49:23)

Cross-reference for "believeth on Him" (v.11) -- "So, then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."  (Romans 10:17)

Scofield offers a summary of faith: "The essence of faith consists in believing and receiving what God has revealed, and may be defined as that trust in the God of the Scriptures and in Jesus Christ whom He has sent, which receives Him as Lord and Savior and impels to loving obedience and good works."  He adds that "The particular uses of faith give rise to its secondary definitions:

1) For SALVATION, faith is personal trust, apart from meritorious works, in the Lord Jesus Christ.
2) As used in PRAYER, faith is the "confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us."  (1 John 5:14-15)
3) As used in reference to UNSEEN THINGS of which Scripture speaks, faith gives "substance" to them, so that we act upon the conviction of their reality.
4) As a WORKING PRINCIPLE IN LIFE, the uses of faith are illustrated in Hebrews 11.

Cross-references for "difference" (v.12) -- "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference."  (Romans 3:22)

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."  (Galatians 3:28)

Cross-references for "Lord" (v.13) -- "And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call."  (Joel 2:32)

"And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  (Acts 2:21)

Cross-reference for "shall be saved" (v.13) -- Jude says that he writes to "them that are sanctified by God, the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called."  (Jude 1)

Note for "saved" (v.13) -- "The Hebrew and Greek words for 'salvation' imply the ideas of deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, and soundness.  "Salvation' is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all [these]: justification, redemption, grace, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification.  Salvation is in three tenses:

1) The Christian has been saved from the guilt and penalty of sin, and is safe.  

2) The Christian is being saved from the habit and dominion of sin.

3) The Christian will be saved at the Lord's return from all the bodily infirmities that are the result of sin and God's curse upon the sinful world.

Salvation is by grace through faith, is a free gift, and wholly without works.  The divine order is, first salvation, then works." -- C.I. Scofield

Cross-references for "how beautiful" (v.16) -- "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth forth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!"  (Isaiah 52:7)

"Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace!"  (Nahum 1:15a)

Cross-references for "gospel" (v.15-16) -- "But what saith it?  The word is near thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that is, the word of faith, which we preach."  (Romans 10:8)

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people."  (Revelation 14:6)

Cross-reference for "Lord, who hath believed our report?" (v.16) -- 

"Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"  (Isaiah 53:1)

Cross-reference for "believed" (v. 16) -- "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."  (Romans 10:9-10)

A = For this Scripture, there were a number of ways to apply it as prompted in the journal.  

"Sometimes function is what creates beauty." -- Rachel Wojo

This reminded me of verse 15b from our reading: "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace".  In this case, it is the function these feet are performing that makes them beautiful.

Warren Wiersbe notes in With the Word: "Unbelieving sinners cannot hear unless we tell them.  God needs people with beautiful feet to carry the gospel to the lost.
"Despite Paul's broken heart and God's outstretched hands, Israel did not believe; but the Gentiles did believe and God saved the!  When you feel discouraged in your witnessing, remember Paul, continue caring, praying, and sharing the good news.  Keep those feet beautiful!"

Rachel also shares a "focus word" in each of the devotional pages.  I hadn't previously paid much attention to these for the Sunday Scripture posts, but am thinking now that maybe I should.

So for this lesson the focus word is "necessary".  In thinking of this word, I noted: "Belief is necessary.  Faith is necessary.  Sharing the Gospel is necessary.  Calling on the name of the Lord is necessary.  Sometimes, difficulties are necessary.

The question was asked: How can I realign the eyes of my heart to see the Father's present of everyday elegance?

My response in 2018: I need to continually keep my eyes on the Lord and the fact that He has a purpose for all that He allows to touch our lives.

Answering this same question in 2024:

 Sometimes trials are necessary to bring us to where He wants us to be -- to accomplish His purposes for our lives.  I need to look at trials through eyes of faith.

This prompt was given, along with a list: Today I will keep my eyes open for God's beauty in one or more of these places.

These are the places I circled: The words I read; the places I go; the people I encounter; the air I breathe; the weather I experience; the rest I receive.

In 2024 I can note that for the people I encounter, I met a young couple last weekend who are such amazing parents to their two-year-old, taking time to parent intentionally.

For the weather I experience, I mentioned a day with glorious sunshine, and a beautiful pink sky the night before.

For the rest I receive, I noted the blessing of waking up refreshed to tackle another day of work.

A journaling prompt was this:  Everything God made is beautiful.  Where have I noticed God's beauty in the last 24 hours?

My response in 2018: In the gift of sleep.  In the beauty of falling snow.  In the cheering song of the tufted titmouse.  In a loving husband who did all of our grocery shopping after a long day of work.

For my response in 2024, I added:  In the glorious yellow of forsythia bushes, daffodils, and dandelions.  In the colors He has created.  Pale, softened colors in the fringes I was trimming from towel rags: pale green, lavender, peach.  Bright confetti-like dots in the dryer lint from washed and dried freshly cut rags.  In the mingling of spring colors in flowerbeds: pink tulips, yellow daffodils, purple violets.  In the beautiful design of God's people working together to glorify Him.

P= "Lord, I pray that You will help me to keep my eyes firmly focused upon You.  I know that You have a purpose for allowing trials in our lives, and part of that plan is for us to glorify you in the trials -- to share with others the confident trust that we have in You.  I know that another part of your plan for trials in our lives is for us to grow and become spiritually mature.  And your grace is sufficient for us in each and every situation.  

I know that I can trust  You to sustain me through every trial I face and to bring me safely through in Your timing.  I pray that You will give me wisdom through each trial, and I thank  You for all You are doing, in Jesus' name , Amen."

And there is the Sunday Scripture for this week!  I'd love some more input on this series so far, and I hope more of you will share your thoughts with me.

And a very happy Mother's Day to those of you who are mothers! 🌹  

 

Happy Mother's Day!

 

How can it possibly be that the second Sunday in May is tomorrow? 

Since Mother's Day is tomorrow, but my Sunday post will be a Scripture one, I'm popping in for a moment today to wish all of the moms among my readers a very happy and blessed day!  I hope that you get to spend time worshiping in your local church and that you also get to enjoy other pleasant times -- perhaps celebrating with some of your children if that is possible.  

I'm just sharing a few simple thoughts from previous Mother's Day posts, but I hope they will be a blessing to someone.

Being a mother is a privilege but such a challenge as well.  I surely made many mistakes along the way, but am thankful for God's guidance and oversight over my mothering efforts.  I'm blessed to have not only children and grandchildren, but several "children of the heart" as well -- one of whom I see often and talk with every week.  I'm thankful for the privilege of being involved in all of their lives.

For those who are hurting today ... and I know Mother's Day can be difficult for many reasons ... please know that God sees and understands, and wants to comfort and bless you today.

As I've mentioned in past Mother's Day posts,  I really think that we need to celebrate all ladies on this special day, because even though some may not have borne children of their own, we all have had opportunities to nurture others in one way or another.   In fact, God's plan is that older women will teach the younger ones many important things and will nurture them in the faith.  I frequently remind the ladies in my Sunday School class that each of us is older spiritually or physically than someone else.  Teen girls can be an example to younger ones, for example.  My own daughters were so blessed as little girls to have teen girls to look up to -- and those teens set a very good example indeed.  History repeated itself, and as teenagers themselves, my girls found themselves being looked up to by littler girls.

So wherever this finds you today -- if you are a mom, a grandmother, or a nurturer -- a most blessed Mother's Day to you!

Sunday Scripture

 

Here's another in our ongoing series for Sunday Scripture!  You may recall me mentioning that back in 2018, I did a simple study from Rachel Wojo called Everything Beautiful.  You can read about the plan here if you are interested in it for yourself: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series are a combination of what I learned back then, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm going to attempt to SOAP the passages too, though some of them are longer. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  The passage for this week is Matthew 26:6-13.

S= "Now, when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon, the leper,
"There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on His head, as He was eating.
"But when His disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
"For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
"When Jesus understood it, He said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman?  For she hath wrought a good work upon Me.
"For ye have the poor always with you, but Me ye have not always.
"For in that she hath poured this ointment on My body, she did it for My burial.
"Verily I say unto you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her."  (Matthew 26:6-13)

O= In the Scofield study Bible, C.I. Scofield titles this section "Jesus anointed for His burial by Mary of Bethany."  This incident is also recorded in Mark 14:3-9 and John 12:1-8.  

John 12:1-3 gives us a clearer picture of the scene:

"Then Jesus, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom He raised from the dead.
"There they made Him a supper, and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with Him.
"Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment."

Scofield writes of these verses: "As Martha served the Lord, and Lazarus had communion with Him, so Mary offered the worship of a grateful heart.  Others before Mary had come to the Lord's feet to have their need met; she came to give Him His due.  Although the two other evangelists, Matthew and Mark, record Mary's act, John alone gives her name."

I was curious about Simon the leper, so looked him up in a Bible dictionary.  Here's what I found:

"A former leper in whose house Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anointed Jesus' feet [and head] with a precious ointment.  Martha and Lazarus were present when this happened, and Martha took an active part in serving the dinner.  This has led to speculation that Simon was a member of the family or at least was a very close friend." -- Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Cross-references for "leper"(v.6) -- "And, behold, there came a leper and worshiped Him, saying, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean."  (Matthew 8:2)

"And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them."  (Luke 15:2)

A marginal note tells us that "a woman" (v.7) was Mary of Bethany.

Cross-reference for "ye have the poor always with you" (v.11) -- "For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor,  and to thy needy, in thy land."  (Deuteronomy 15:11)

Cross-references for "Me ye have not always" (v.11) -- "And He said unto them, Can ye make the sons of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?  But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days."  (Luke 5:34-35)

"Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me.  Because I live, ye shall live also."  (John 14:19)

"I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world, and go to the Father."  (John 16:28)

The phrase "for My burial" (v.12) literally means "to prepare Me for My burial".  

Cross-references for "burial" -- "And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him."  (Mark 16:1)

"And there came also Nicodemus, who at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 
"Then took they [Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, referenced in v. 38] the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes, with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
"Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new sepulcher, in which was never man yet laid.  There laid they Jesus ...".  (John 19:39-42)

Cross-references for "gospel" (v.13) -- "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people."  (Revelation 14:6)

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come."  (Matthew 24:14)

"The word 'gospel' means good news.  As used in the NT, the word deals with different aspects of divine revelation.  Absolutely essential to man's salvation is the Gospel of the grace of God.  This is the good news that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world, that He was raised from the dead ... and that by Him all who believe are justified from all things." -- Scofield

A cross-reference for "memorial" (v.13) is Acts 10:4, where an angel tells Cornelius, "Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God."

This leads us to Hebrews 6:10 -- "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shows toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister." 

A = Warren Wiersbe notes in With the Word: "Life presents us with many opportunities; how we respond to them depends on what we love and what we look for in life.  Mary used the opportunity she had for expressing her devotion to Christ, but Judas used that same opportunity to criticize her.  Nothing given in love to Jesus is ever wasted.  Judas was the one who ended up wasting his life."

For this Scripture, there were a number of ways to apply it as prompted in the journal.  

"True beauty is often misunderstood." -- Rachel Wojo

The above quote from Rachel makes me think.  The beauty and symbolism of Mary's loving, heartfelt act was misunderstood by the disciples, who thought it was a waste of expensive ointment that could have been sold and the money distributed to the poor.  In the same way, I might think that a time of rest is a waste of time, when actually there is potential beauty in such a time.

The question was asked: Which of my own words have blocked the beauty of God's Word?

My response in 2018: Any of my words that involve doubt and discouragement.  This recovery time is very slow indeed.  I'm just trying to rest and see God's hand in it all.

Answering this same question in 2024:

 Any inaccurate words that cause me to doubt that God is in control or that He doesn't know what's happening in our lives and in our world.  He absolutely does.

This prompt was given, along with a list: Today I will keep my eyes open for God's beauty in one or more of these places.

These are the places I circled: The words I read; the places I go; the music I hear; the people I encounter; the air I breathe; the weather I experience; the rest I receive.

In 2024 I can note that for the music I hear, we recently sang in church the song "Abba, Father" -- a favorite of mine.  In this category I also heard a male cardinal singing at the bird feeder.

For the places I go, I mentioned a drive to a beautiful lake on a sunny spring day.  I also noticed my blue and yellow primroses blooming near the front walkway to our house.

 
For the rest I receive, I noted it was such a blessing how God provided rest after a tiring day of work.

A journaling prompt was this:List one or two ideas to remind myself to intentionally look for God's beauty throughout the day.

My response in 2018:  Looking out the windows -- it continues to snow.  Sort of annoying for mid-March, but undeniably beautiful.  Go out and walk on the porch; I've not done that for a couple of days.  Understand that a season of rest can be beautiful (like the earth and plants under this blanket of snow) -- preparing for a season of greater productivity.

For my response in 2024, I added:  Now, in late April, noticing spring bulbs, shrubs, and wildflowers beginning to bloom.  Listening to the songs of birds and seeing if I can identify each singer.

*I wanted to note also that the alabaster box and spikenard in the graphic at top are treasures of mine.  They were given to me by my dear friend Pam.  Such thoughtful and meaningful gifts, they have taken on new beauty and luster for me, as Pam was tragically murdered several years ago.*

P= "Lord, I thank You for giving us seasonal insights.  I'm thankful for rest, although sometimes (as in 2018) it may involve physical pain and discomfort.  Although that would not be the type of rest I would choose for myself, sometimes it is the sort of rest that I need. 

Thank You for reminding me that a rest may well be preparing me for a season of productivity.  I praise You for all You are doing, in Jesus' name , Amen."

And there is the Sunday Scripture for this week!  I'd love some more input on this series so far.  I hope more of you will share your thoughts with me!  

Some goals for May

 

How can it be May already?

A new month means new goals (and with me, always some ongoing ones as well) -- so here goes!

* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week
* Get back to working through the "Make Room Challenge" from Make Room for What You Love
* Spend time with our friends who are younger believers
* Enjoy our church ladies' gathering
* Prepare a devotional for the church ladies gathering (LOG -- Ladies of Grace)
* Post in this blog as often as possible
* Post in my Christmas blog as often as possible
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones
* Celebrate a May birthday
* Hopefully get together with friends on Memorial Day
* Use Charles Swindoll's devotional Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life for my quiet time daily
* Continue studying and preparing for my Sunday School lessons
* Continue studying and preparing for my Sunday Scripture blog posts
*Work on Even If, a study of Habakkuk from the Daily Grace Co.
* Continue stocking my Etsy shop and continue selling vintage items
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Touch base with teen grandchildren regarding the Stand Firm Bible study
* Spend extended time at our volunteer jobs
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating
* Continue to work on memorizing the book of James
* Continue to help a widowed friend with the challenges of life in general
* Get to bed by 8:30 each night we are at home
* Drink enough water each day
* Walk and/or exercise at least 4 times each week

 
HEALTHY HABITS FOR MAY:  Drink more water/get more sleep/get more exercise/intermittent fasting/limit carbs

WORD FOR 2024: Continue