My trunk…

 My trunk….

 

I inherited a trunk from one of my grandmothers….it came through Ellis Island in the 1860’s from Germany with one of my ancestors…I realized  I needed to glue the interior paper down as it is peeling  away from the body…so I got out my trusty Modge Podge the other day and painted all of the interior…then of course, as usual I created another project on the inside,..it has a lift-out drawer that was almost in splinters, the wood so brittle…it needed help…my neighbor is wonderful carpenter, so he took and remade the drawer, adding some new wood, the old wood and made a beautiful drawer…now I am refinishing that with paint and upholstery fabric for the liner.

 You turn people back to dust,saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” 

A thousand years in your sight-are like a day that has just gone by,or like a watch in the night. 

Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—they are like the new grass of the morning: 

In the morning it springs up new,but by evening it is dry and withered.

Ps.90.3-6

I thought of pictures taken of trunks decaying and turning to dust along the western trails, crosses of people who had died there as well…time…those years we live, aren’t the thousands that God knows…the years that quickly fly by in our lives…I watch my great grandchildren and am reminded what their grandparents and parents did at their age…not so long ago…He has held us in his hand, cared for us…prepared a place for us….

Thank YOU…

Pslam 90 song….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCDNZwMRYfo

Used….

 Used…

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me’.  Erma Bombeck….

“Use it up”, my son-in-law about a MAF plane ready to foreign service…

When we were studying First Americans in school, I was intrigued by the many uses they discovered in using a buffalo….it was said they could use everything but but their sound…we have gotten away from that creativity in the many uses of products we have now…we use somethings very little and toss…I am glad we have thrift stores to shop at to continue the use of a variety of items. I grew up wearing hand-me-downs. There was a time when my family collected the over ripe fruits and vegetables from the grocery stores for ourselves and our livestock…we ate like kings as did our livestock!

Reading Psalm 90 reminds us of passing time and good use of it…

 Psalm 90A prayer of Moses the man of God.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 

Before the mountains were bornor you brought forth the whole world,from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 

Teach us to number our days,that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. 

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.

Ps.90.1,Ps.90.2,Ps.90.12,Ps.90.14,Ps.90.17

Realizing that life is short helps us use the little time we have more wisely and for eternal good.Take time to number your days by asking, “what do I want to see happen in my life before I die?what small step could I take toward that q purpose today….because our days are numbered, we want our work to count, to be effective and productive……”.   Bible study notes…..

Seeing the cancer center every week, reminds me personally of these things…use my time wisely….

Thank YOU….

God’s timing….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BUmXLhhVKs

Photo albums….

 

Photo albums…

I have started going through photo albums of pictures taken on trips that just my husband and I took, not having anything to do with our children…we saw some incredible places and things…I am sorting and purging out stuff that I don’t think my family would be interested in…Castles, temples, street scenes, people…foreign to them and us where gods are revered and God is not honored…there were places I felt so uncomfortable, I had to walk out, not trying to insult local people….I was their guest after all ….

As I read these verses in Psalm 84, I thought of the various places we traversed…I would have rather been in the Lord’s house than some of the tourist places…His Spirit is welcoming rather than not…

I am thankful we saw and experienced so much….God was gracious to allow it in our lives…but, I am sooooo much more thankful we had a “ home “ to come to where God’s presence was so alive…

Thank YOU….

Better is one day in your courts…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEr5Wn7LHvw

 One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship,beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches.

I’d rather scrub floors in the house of my God than be honored as a guest in the palace of sin.

All sunshine and sovereign is God,generous in gifts and glory.

He doesn’t scrimp with his traveling companions.

It’s smooth sailing all the way with God-of-the-Angel-Armies.

Ps.84.10-12MSG

 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere;I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. 

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;the Lord bestows favor and honor;no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. 

Lord Almighty,blessed is the one who trusts in you.

Ps.84.10-12NIV

 Psalm 4:8,9,12….

 Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty;

listen to me, God of Jacob.        Selah…

Look on our shield, O God;         

look with favor on your anointed one. 

( But do not kill them, Lord our shield,or my people will forget.In your might uproot them and bring them down.

Ps.59.11

 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

1Sam.16.6

 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains-and throw off their shackles.”

Ps.2.2,Ps.2.3

 “Here I will make a horn grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one.

Ps.132.17)

Lord Almighty,blessed is the one who trusts in you.

Ps.84.8,Ps.84.9,Ps.84.12

 Kiss his son, or he will be angryand your way will lead to your destruction,for his wrath can flare up in a moment.Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Ps.2.12

“In the Bible, being anointed signifies being chosen and empowered by God for a specific purpose. Anointing often involves the application of oil, symbolizing God's blessing, authority, and the setting apart of individuals for roles such as kings, priests, and prophets.

Biblical Significance

• Chosen by God: Anointing indicates divine selection, as seen in the anointing of kings like Saul and David (1 Samuel 16:1-13).

• Empowerment: It represents the empowerment of individuals to fulfill God's mission, such as the anointing of Jesus, who is referred to as the "Anointed One" or Messiah (Luke 4:18).

Cultural Context

• Ritual Practice: Anointing was a common practice in ancient Israel, often associated with significant life events or transitions.

• Symbol of Healing: Anointing also symbolizes healing and restoration, as seen in James 5:14, where the sick are anointed with oil for healing.

Overall, anointing in the Bible encapsulates themes of divine selection, empowerment, and the presence of God's Spirit in the lives of individuals.”  Web notes…

“Anointing symbolizes God’s blessing, empowerment, and healing. It’s a practice that connects believers with divine purpose and community.”

https://biblicalchronology.com/what-is-the-biblical-meaning-of-anointing/

Lots of good articles…

The Baptism of Jesus…

https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-stories/baptism-of-jesus-bible-story.html

Thank YOU…

Psalm 84 song…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEPAKmwHhdg

Essentials…

 Essentials….

 

There are some essentials we need for life…

1. Water 

2. Air 

3. Food 

4. Light…

I thought of that as I read these verses…they really don’t directly address our needs, but we gather our strength from God  who supplies all of our needs…

 But, Jesus is our supply…to live…

1. I am the Living  Water…

2. I am the Breath  of Life…

3. I am the Bread of Life…

4. I am the Light of the World…

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. 

As they pass through the Valley of Baka,

they make it a place of springs;the autumn rains also cover it with pools. 

They go from strength to strength,till each appears before God in Zion.

Ps.84.5-7

 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.

John.7.38

 The Spirit of God has made me;the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Job.33.4

 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

John.6.51

 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John.8.12

 Sing for joy to God our strength;shout aloud to the God of Jacob!

Ps.81.1

 Be glad, people of Zion,rejoice in the Lord your God,for he has given you the autumn rainsbecause he is faithful.He sends you abundant showers,both autumn and spring rains, as before.

Joel.2.23

 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

Prov.4.18

Light of the World…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cLhaZIBSpo

  

Psalm 84:1-4….

My friends and I that are getting older… a key concern is our bigger house, stairs, doorways that at wide enough for walkers/wheelchairs, big yards, mobility…

When my husband passed, I moved into a house that fit the list for seniors and then built another that fit as well…but as I watch others move into assisted living or downsize homes, even a room becomes too big for some…hard to watch, hard face…

It is  hard letting go, losing control, getting old, getting tired, not well, changes that we can’t control, making decisions we don’t want to make, …etc. ..need to get our eyes on a better place instead of hanging on to temporal things…but, still hard…moving is hard, but those who have Jesus as their Savior we have a much better place to look forward to… as this psalm talks about…

Thank YOU….

The theme of psalm 84 according to my Bible study notes is “God’s living presence is our greatest joy” written by temple assistants, the sons of Korah…

“How lovely is your dwelling place,Lord Almighty! 

( One thing I ask from the Lord,this only do I seek:that I may dwell in the house of the Lordall the days of my life,to gaze on the beauty of the Lordand to seek him in his temple.

Ps.27.4

 Send me your light and your faithful care,let them lead me;let them bring me to your holy mountain,to the place where you dwell.

Ps.43.3

 ‘Arise, Lord, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.

Ps.132.8)

My soul yearns, even faints,for the courts of the Lord;my heart and my flesh cry outfor the living God. 

(As the deer pants for streams of water,so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.When can I go and meet with God?

Ps.42.1,Ps.42.2)

Even the sparrow has found a home,and the swallow a nest for herself,where she may have her young—a place near your altar,Lord Almighty, my King and my God. 

( Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Luke.12.6-7

 Then I will go to the altar of God,to God, my joy and my delight.I will praise you with the lyre,O God, my God.

Ps.43.4

Hear my cry for help,my King and my God,for to you I pray.

Ps.5.2)

Blessed are those who dwell in your house;they are ever praising you. 

Psalm 84:1-4

When we all get to heaven…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTGNQ7BRg8E

 Psalm 71:22-24

 I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God;I will sing praise to you with the lyre,Holy One of Israel. 

My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you—I whom you have delivered. 

My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long,for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.

Ps.71.22-24

 Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;praise his holy name. 

For his anger lasts only a moment,but his favor lasts a lifetime;weeping may stay for the night,but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Ps.30.4-5

 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;do not fret—it leads only to evil.

Ps.37.8

 I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin;I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked.”

Ps.39.1

Joy comes in the morning…an old song, but still speaks….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGBGReuvzOc