Kindness...random?...
http://www.coolestone.com/media/19180/Girl-Without-A-Hand-Plays-on-Stage-with-The-Piano-Guys---Random-Acts/#.WucAjetOKK0
Awakening to this video today was a joy, combining it with the scripture on my reading list, Psalms 102-104 was a wonder...
God's kindness, his creativity, his praise worthiness ....
Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children — with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord , my soul.
Psalm 103:1-22
God's plan wasn't a random act...His plans are infinite, thought out, planned...he knows the beginning through the end...he has planned for each of us...created for his glory...we are not an accident of nature...thank YOU...
You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit.
Job 10:12
Monday, April 30, 2018
Saturday, April 28, 2018
Comfort zone...
Comfort zone...
Wikipedia ..."A comfort zone is a psychological state in which things feel familiar to a person and they are at ease and in control of their environment, experiencing low levels of anxietyand stress. In this zone, a steady level of performance is possible.[1]
Bardwick defines the term as "a behavioral state where a person operates in an anxiety-neutral position."[2] Brown describes it as "Where our uncertainty, scarcity and vulnerability are minimized—where we believe we'll have access to enough love, food, talent, time, admiration. Where we feel we have some control."[3]""
Doesn't this sound like a great place to live?
No challenges, no conflict, ....just a good time all the time...kind of like having Christmas every day...
Each day spilling over into the next ...kind of sounds boring ...there are times in our lives when we need these days after prolonged conflict or illness...we want that comfort zone...a place to rest...recoup...predictable ...
Iamsecond.com is a website with various people's testimonies...most are not about comfort zones...but, how God worked in their lives to save them...to give them new lives, purpose, reality, transformation ...well worth watching , pondering...
Thank YOU that you came, lived, died and rose again that we may be saved, may have new lives..new purpose...even when it is not comfortable...
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
Romans 12:2-3
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.
2 Corinthians 3:18,4:2
Wikipedia ..."A comfort zone is a psychological state in which things feel familiar to a person and they are at ease and in control of their environment, experiencing low levels of anxietyand stress. In this zone, a steady level of performance is possible.[1]
Bardwick defines the term as "a behavioral state where a person operates in an anxiety-neutral position."[2] Brown describes it as "Where our uncertainty, scarcity and vulnerability are minimized—where we believe we'll have access to enough love, food, talent, time, admiration. Where we feel we have some control."[3]""
Doesn't this sound like a great place to live?
No challenges, no conflict, ....just a good time all the time...kind of like having Christmas every day...
Each day spilling over into the next ...kind of sounds boring ...there are times in our lives when we need these days after prolonged conflict or illness...we want that comfort zone...a place to rest...recoup...predictable ...
Iamsecond.com is a website with various people's testimonies...most are not about comfort zones...but, how God worked in their lives to save them...to give them new lives, purpose, reality, transformation ...well worth watching , pondering...
Thank YOU that you came, lived, died and rose again that we may be saved, may have new lives..new purpose...even when it is not comfortable...
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
Romans 12:2-3
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.
2 Corinthians 3:18,4:2
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Retiring ....the how to's...or not...
Retiring...the how to's....
Over the years, I have accumulated dozen of manuals on how to----....
from how to write a term paper to parenting...making soap to the perfect turkey...running a small business to leading a small group...hairdos for kids, mothers on the run...how to pack for missions to what not to do in closed nations...how to be a grandparent to how to be a Christian...
With new technology, we can look on YouTube to find thousands of "how to's "...multiple ways...if you don't like one person's technique, you may find a dozen others...
Now, I am finding articles, books on how to retire...I don't know how...I teased my husband about never retiring, because he loved his work so much...and he didn't retire...he went to heaven instead...now this spring I realized I was at the same point, technically, I can retire, but what does that look like?
Golfing isn't my game as others are doing, watching endless tv isn't either, or watching the stock market ...one couple I know exercises four hours a day, ugh..., but they combine that with witnessing to others...
I love travel, I love purpose...I loved working with others on writing, vbs, preparations of many things, helping, serving in a variety of capacities, counseling, one on one times, planning, creating...what do you do with those abilities?... Not sure...just don't want to "check out" on life and "sit, soak and sour " as some have put it...
Thank YOU for the opportunities you have prepared and are planning...teach me your ways...
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:4-5
...but at the age of fifty, they must retire from their regular service and work no longer.
They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting, but they themselves must not do the work.
This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.”
Numbers 8:25-26
Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 16:5-8
"HIS PRESENCE , Jesus Lives, Sarah Young
I AM ALWAYS BEFORE YOU, BECKONING YOU ON—ONE STEP AT A TIME. Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, can separate you from My loving Presence. I want you to live your life focused on My Presence in the present.
Since you know I am always with you—leading and encouraging you—you can live in that reality moment by moment. Your mind tends to leap over the present moment to the next task, ignoring the one that is before you and the One who is before you.
During rare times when you are able to stay focused on Me, your work is infused with My Presence. It is no longer laborious but delightful: more like play than work. Living in collaboration with Me can be a foretaste of heaven. It is wonderful, though not easy: It requires a level of spiritual and mental concentration that is extremely challenging. In the Psalms, David wrote about this collaborative way of living, declaring that he had set Me always before him. As a shepherd, he had plenty of time to seek My Face and enjoy My Presence. He discovered the beauty of days lived with Me always before
him—and beside him. I am training you to live this way too. This endeavor requires more persistent effort than anything else you have attempted. Yet, rather than detracting from your other activities, it fills them with vibrant Life. Whatever you do, do it for Me—with Me, through Me, in Me. Even menial tasks glow with the Joy of My Presence when you do them for Me. Ultimately, nothing will be able to separate you from Me, so this you-and-I-together venture can continue throughout eternity.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ROMANS 8: 38–39
I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. PSALM 16: 8
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men . . .; for you serve the Lord Christ. COLOSSIANS 3: 23–24 NKJV
Interesting quotes
4. Prepare for Emotional Changes
It is imperative to be emotionally prepared for the next phase of life. In my experience, depression, anger, and on-going frustration plague retirees who’ve failed to consider the emotional impact associated with transitioning into retirement. If you don’t already have a plan for how you will spend your time during these years, consider it diligently, today, or you will inevitably feel lost like a ship at sea with no rudder.
“I realized that it’s good and proper for a man to eat and drink. It’s good for him to be satisfied with his hard work on this earth. That’s what he should do during the few days of life God has given him. That’s what God made him for” (Ecclesiastes 5:18 NIRV).
In this verse, Solomon has wisely concluded that God has made each of us with purpose. Before retirement that purpose is clearly to provide for our families. But as we enter into retirement that significant role must be redefined – something that most of us fail to consider in advance.
As a part of your retirement planning, keep in mind that these special years are not a destination, but instead a continuing journey where the wisdom you’ve gained is desperately needed by others. Whether it’s mentoring in a church community, helping a charity, building up your family tree or assisting a branch of government, pouring your experience into the lives of others is incredibly rewarding.
https://www.crosswalk.com/family/career/a-retirement-with-purpose.html
Retirement With A Purpose
By Joshua Lipton
When Betty Otte retired in the mid-1990s, she was burned out and ready for some well-deserved rest and relaxation. For 10 years, she had worked hard managing more than a dozen weight loss centers in the Orange County, Calif., area, where she was in charge of some 350 people.
So Otte decided to check out of the 9-to-5 beat. She planned getaways to a couple of spas, and concentrated on just kicking back.
But, only months later, Otte actually started to feel bored. The life of retirement wasn’t challenging. She felt restless.
"It was fun, but only for the first six months," Otte says. "Then I needed a reason to get up in the morning. When I left the company, I really missed the people. I missed the camaraderie."
So Otte decided to put her business skills to use. She began volunteering at the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), a free business counseling and advice service. The nonprofit shop, which works closely with the U.S. Small Business Administration, has more than 10,000 working and retired business professionals who volunteer to help entrepreneurs learn everything from writing a business plan to marketing skills.
Otte now volunteers at the SCORE offices in Santa Ana, Calif., twice per month, offering one-on-one guidance to a new generation of American small business owners.
"If there is an opportunity to help people go through the pains of starting and running a small business, that draws me in," she says.
Today, there are millions of Americans retiring and looking for ways to give back to their communities. After decades spent fine-tuning their professional skills, these retirees are looking to dedicate effort to the causes and programs they care about, whether it’s mentoring children, caring for the elderly or pitching in to help out after a natural disaster strikes. Nonprofits across the country demand the help and time of volunteers and many of them are looking specifically for the skill sets offered by older Americans.
One way to track down age 55-plus service opportunities is to go to www.getinvolved.gov. There, click on "Find A Volunteer Opportunity." The search engine, powered by VolunteerMatch, provides access to volunteer opportunities suited to the skills and experience of age 55-plus volunteers. Punch in your zip code and interest area and then surf through the opportunities located nearest you.
Such a service will probably prove increasingly sought after and popular given the upswing among older Americans in volunteering. In fact, adult volunteering has jumped sharply in recent years, increasing nearly 30% between 1974 and 2005, according to a study conducted by the Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS), a public-private partnership that engages Americans in volunteering through three programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America.
That jump in volunteering among Americans is in part explained by the number of national tragedies that have beset the country in recent years, from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 to Hurricane Katrina, says Kevin Cramer, deputy director for research and policy development at the CNCS.
"Recent events have boosted everybody’s interest in volunteering," Cramer says. "That drove people to get involved and help out."
At the same time, there has been a significant increase in the number of organizations that are in need of more resources and volunteers. Between 1989 and 2004, the number of public charities more than doubled in the U.S. About 81% of nonprofits use volunteers.
Dispelling their stereotype as the self-centered "Me Generation," baby boomers in their late 40s to mid-50s are volunteering at higher rates than did the previous generation at midlife. Boomers were volunteering at lower rates than their predecessors while in their 30s, but that trend has reversed.
Cramer explains baby boomers’ relatively high volunteer rate today to two factors. For one, there is the role of educational attainment. Midlife adults (age 45-64) are three times as likely to have a four-year college degree today as they were 15 years ago (from 11.5% to 29.5%).
There is a substantial connection between education levels and volunteering, Cramer points out. Educated people have better access to information, so they can more readily and easily find out about volunteering opportunities. And they have very specific skills to offer. Accountants can volunteer to do tax work for nonprofits, for instance.
"They can offer highly specialized services," Cramer says.
Another reason that explains the rise in volunteering among baby boomers: their propensity to have children later in life.
One reason people volunteer, Cramer says, is because they have children in the home.
"It’s not unexpected. Parents have an interest in organizations related to their children’s and social involvement. And baby boomers are more likely to have children in the home than the previous generation when they were the same age."
In fact, between 1989 and 2005, the percent of midlife adults with children in the home rose by 73%. More to the point, the agency reports that the surge of baby boomers will boost volunteering by older adults by 50% by the year 2020 and double the number of older adult volunteers by the year 2036.
The sheer huge numbers of boomers seeking out volunteer opportunities presents enormous opportunity for nonprofits in need of more resources and manpower. But nonprofits also have to understand that what opportunities motivate boomers may be different than what drive older Americans, says Tess Scannell, director of Senior Corps.
"Baby boomers want an opportunity that is well planned and has a clear impact," says Scannell. "They don’t want to feel like they are wasting their time."
Specifically, those Americans born between 1946 and 1964 are often looking for higher-skill assignments. In the study put out by the CNCS, three kinds of activities seemed to appeal most to the boomers: 75% of them engaging in professional activities like managing people or projects continued volunteering the following year. Also popular were activities involving music or some type of performance and tutoring, mentoring and coaching.
Scannell contrasts that attitude with the perspective of those members of the Greatest Generation, for instance, who often volunteer out of a more general sense of a duty and obligation.
"The 70- and 80-year-olds had a different approach," Scannell says. "If they were asked, they showed up. So this is a change for volunteer managers. If they want to retain baby boomers, they have to make it worth their while. Time is the commodity that baby boomers cherish. If they are spending time on something, they want to know it’s well used."
The reasons older adults may have for volunteering may be different than those of boomers, but studies show they’re no less involved in lending a helping hand: The volunteer rate for Americans ages 65 years and older jumped 64% between 1974 and 2005.
Cramer attributes that rise to broad demographic shifts in the older age group. He notes that older Americans can feel free to chip in and volunteer in greater numbers because they’re healthier than Americans in the past. They’re also living longer and are more financially secure.
Regardless of age, though, there are certain transgenerational reasons men and women decide to dedicate time to volunteering. What they’re often looking for is a way to stay active, engaged and needed.
"People volunteer because they get personal benefits from it, like connections with others, social networking and being part of a movement," Cramer says. "That sense that you’re doing good, that you’re a force for positive change."
Duane Zaremba of Mesa, Ariz., had never done much volunteering before he retired. The 62-year-old had worked for nearly 40 years at Chase bank and when he officially checked out of the working world in December 2005, he initially planned to take it easy. He wanted to relax, maybe travel a bit and do some work in the yard.
But soon enough, as it has for others, the retired life proved kind of dull for Zaremba. "You’re home and you just feel like you’re not accomplishing stuff anymore," he says. "I felt like my brain was turning to mush. I needed to do something to feel like I was contributing."
So Zaremba began looking for ways to help out in his community. He started serving lunches to the homeless at a local church. It was there that another volunteer told Zaremba about Experience Corps, a nonprofit that recruits tutors to mentor elementary school students struggling to learn to read.
Zaremba was initially skeptical. Did he really have the patience to sit down and tutor kids? But he decided to give it a try. Beginning last September, he began volunteering at a local public elementary school.
Five months later, and Zaremba is hooked. Every Monday and Wednesday morning, he heads to the school and sits down for a few hours with fourth graders, one-on-one, to walk through their assignments with them.
One student he works with a lot is a 10-year-old named Oscar, who sometimes has trouble concentrating. But Zaremba sits down and, together, they work through the assignments. Recently, Oscar raised his hand in class to respond to some questions. The teacher later approached Zaremba and told him that Oscar had never before volunteered to contribute.
"That made me feel good," he says.
Over the years, I have accumulated dozen of manuals on how to----....
from how to write a term paper to parenting...making soap to the perfect turkey...running a small business to leading a small group...hairdos for kids, mothers on the run...how to pack for missions to what not to do in closed nations...how to be a grandparent to how to be a Christian...
With new technology, we can look on YouTube to find thousands of "how to's "...multiple ways...if you don't like one person's technique, you may find a dozen others...
Now, I am finding articles, books on how to retire...I don't know how...I teased my husband about never retiring, because he loved his work so much...and he didn't retire...he went to heaven instead...now this spring I realized I was at the same point, technically, I can retire, but what does that look like?
Golfing isn't my game as others are doing, watching endless tv isn't either, or watching the stock market ...one couple I know exercises four hours a day, ugh..., but they combine that with witnessing to others...
I love travel, I love purpose...I loved working with others on writing, vbs, preparations of many things, helping, serving in a variety of capacities, counseling, one on one times, planning, creating...what do you do with those abilities?... Not sure...just don't want to "check out" on life and "sit, soak and sour " as some have put it...
Thank YOU for the opportunities you have prepared and are planning...teach me your ways...
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:4-5
...but at the age of fifty, they must retire from their regular service and work no longer.
They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting, but they themselves must not do the work.
This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.”
Numbers 8:25-26
Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 16:5-8
"HIS PRESENCE , Jesus Lives, Sarah Young
I AM ALWAYS BEFORE YOU, BECKONING YOU ON—ONE STEP AT A TIME. Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, can separate you from My loving Presence. I want you to live your life focused on My Presence in the present.
Since you know I am always with you—leading and encouraging you—you can live in that reality moment by moment. Your mind tends to leap over the present moment to the next task, ignoring the one that is before you and the One who is before you.
During rare times when you are able to stay focused on Me, your work is infused with My Presence. It is no longer laborious but delightful: more like play than work. Living in collaboration with Me can be a foretaste of heaven. It is wonderful, though not easy: It requires a level of spiritual and mental concentration that is extremely challenging. In the Psalms, David wrote about this collaborative way of living, declaring that he had set Me always before him. As a shepherd, he had plenty of time to seek My Face and enjoy My Presence. He discovered the beauty of days lived with Me always before
him—and beside him. I am training you to live this way too. This endeavor requires more persistent effort than anything else you have attempted. Yet, rather than detracting from your other activities, it fills them with vibrant Life. Whatever you do, do it for Me—with Me, through Me, in Me. Even menial tasks glow with the Joy of My Presence when you do them for Me. Ultimately, nothing will be able to separate you from Me, so this you-and-I-together venture can continue throughout eternity.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ROMANS 8: 38–39
I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. PSALM 16: 8
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men . . .; for you serve the Lord Christ. COLOSSIANS 3: 23–24 NKJV
Interesting quotes
4. Prepare for Emotional Changes
It is imperative to be emotionally prepared for the next phase of life. In my experience, depression, anger, and on-going frustration plague retirees who’ve failed to consider the emotional impact associated with transitioning into retirement. If you don’t already have a plan for how you will spend your time during these years, consider it diligently, today, or you will inevitably feel lost like a ship at sea with no rudder.
“I realized that it’s good and proper for a man to eat and drink. It’s good for him to be satisfied with his hard work on this earth. That’s what he should do during the few days of life God has given him. That’s what God made him for” (Ecclesiastes 5:18 NIRV).
In this verse, Solomon has wisely concluded that God has made each of us with purpose. Before retirement that purpose is clearly to provide for our families. But as we enter into retirement that significant role must be redefined – something that most of us fail to consider in advance.
As a part of your retirement planning, keep in mind that these special years are not a destination, but instead a continuing journey where the wisdom you’ve gained is desperately needed by others. Whether it’s mentoring in a church community, helping a charity, building up your family tree or assisting a branch of government, pouring your experience into the lives of others is incredibly rewarding.
https://www.crosswalk.com/family/career/a-retirement-with-purpose.html
Retirement With A Purpose
By Joshua Lipton
When Betty Otte retired in the mid-1990s, she was burned out and ready for some well-deserved rest and relaxation. For 10 years, she had worked hard managing more than a dozen weight loss centers in the Orange County, Calif., area, where she was in charge of some 350 people.
So Otte decided to check out of the 9-to-5 beat. She planned getaways to a couple of spas, and concentrated on just kicking back.
But, only months later, Otte actually started to feel bored. The life of retirement wasn’t challenging. She felt restless.
"It was fun, but only for the first six months," Otte says. "Then I needed a reason to get up in the morning. When I left the company, I really missed the people. I missed the camaraderie."
So Otte decided to put her business skills to use. She began volunteering at the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), a free business counseling and advice service. The nonprofit shop, which works closely with the U.S. Small Business Administration, has more than 10,000 working and retired business professionals who volunteer to help entrepreneurs learn everything from writing a business plan to marketing skills.
Otte now volunteers at the SCORE offices in Santa Ana, Calif., twice per month, offering one-on-one guidance to a new generation of American small business owners.
"If there is an opportunity to help people go through the pains of starting and running a small business, that draws me in," she says.
Today, there are millions of Americans retiring and looking for ways to give back to their communities. After decades spent fine-tuning their professional skills, these retirees are looking to dedicate effort to the causes and programs they care about, whether it’s mentoring children, caring for the elderly or pitching in to help out after a natural disaster strikes. Nonprofits across the country demand the help and time of volunteers and many of them are looking specifically for the skill sets offered by older Americans.
One way to track down age 55-plus service opportunities is to go to www.getinvolved.gov. There, click on "Find A Volunteer Opportunity." The search engine, powered by VolunteerMatch, provides access to volunteer opportunities suited to the skills and experience of age 55-plus volunteers. Punch in your zip code and interest area and then surf through the opportunities located nearest you.
Such a service will probably prove increasingly sought after and popular given the upswing among older Americans in volunteering. In fact, adult volunteering has jumped sharply in recent years, increasing nearly 30% between 1974 and 2005, according to a study conducted by the Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS), a public-private partnership that engages Americans in volunteering through three programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America.
That jump in volunteering among Americans is in part explained by the number of national tragedies that have beset the country in recent years, from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 to Hurricane Katrina, says Kevin Cramer, deputy director for research and policy development at the CNCS.
"Recent events have boosted everybody’s interest in volunteering," Cramer says. "That drove people to get involved and help out."
At the same time, there has been a significant increase in the number of organizations that are in need of more resources and volunteers. Between 1989 and 2004, the number of public charities more than doubled in the U.S. About 81% of nonprofits use volunteers.
Dispelling their stereotype as the self-centered "Me Generation," baby boomers in their late 40s to mid-50s are volunteering at higher rates than did the previous generation at midlife. Boomers were volunteering at lower rates than their predecessors while in their 30s, but that trend has reversed.
Cramer explains baby boomers’ relatively high volunteer rate today to two factors. For one, there is the role of educational attainment. Midlife adults (age 45-64) are three times as likely to have a four-year college degree today as they were 15 years ago (from 11.5% to 29.5%).
There is a substantial connection between education levels and volunteering, Cramer points out. Educated people have better access to information, so they can more readily and easily find out about volunteering opportunities. And they have very specific skills to offer. Accountants can volunteer to do tax work for nonprofits, for instance.
"They can offer highly specialized services," Cramer says.
Another reason that explains the rise in volunteering among baby boomers: their propensity to have children later in life.
One reason people volunteer, Cramer says, is because they have children in the home.
"It’s not unexpected. Parents have an interest in organizations related to their children’s and social involvement. And baby boomers are more likely to have children in the home than the previous generation when they were the same age."
In fact, between 1989 and 2005, the percent of midlife adults with children in the home rose by 73%. More to the point, the agency reports that the surge of baby boomers will boost volunteering by older adults by 50% by the year 2020 and double the number of older adult volunteers by the year 2036.
The sheer huge numbers of boomers seeking out volunteer opportunities presents enormous opportunity for nonprofits in need of more resources and manpower. But nonprofits also have to understand that what opportunities motivate boomers may be different than what drive older Americans, says Tess Scannell, director of Senior Corps.
"Baby boomers want an opportunity that is well planned and has a clear impact," says Scannell. "They don’t want to feel like they are wasting their time."
Specifically, those Americans born between 1946 and 1964 are often looking for higher-skill assignments. In the study put out by the CNCS, three kinds of activities seemed to appeal most to the boomers: 75% of them engaging in professional activities like managing people or projects continued volunteering the following year. Also popular were activities involving music or some type of performance and tutoring, mentoring and coaching.
Scannell contrasts that attitude with the perspective of those members of the Greatest Generation, for instance, who often volunteer out of a more general sense of a duty and obligation.
"The 70- and 80-year-olds had a different approach," Scannell says. "If they were asked, they showed up. So this is a change for volunteer managers. If they want to retain baby boomers, they have to make it worth their while. Time is the commodity that baby boomers cherish. If they are spending time on something, they want to know it’s well used."
The reasons older adults may have for volunteering may be different than those of boomers, but studies show they’re no less involved in lending a helping hand: The volunteer rate for Americans ages 65 years and older jumped 64% between 1974 and 2005.
Cramer attributes that rise to broad demographic shifts in the older age group. He notes that older Americans can feel free to chip in and volunteer in greater numbers because they’re healthier than Americans in the past. They’re also living longer and are more financially secure.
Regardless of age, though, there are certain transgenerational reasons men and women decide to dedicate time to volunteering. What they’re often looking for is a way to stay active, engaged and needed.
"People volunteer because they get personal benefits from it, like connections with others, social networking and being part of a movement," Cramer says. "That sense that you’re doing good, that you’re a force for positive change."
Duane Zaremba of Mesa, Ariz., had never done much volunteering before he retired. The 62-year-old had worked for nearly 40 years at Chase bank and when he officially checked out of the working world in December 2005, he initially planned to take it easy. He wanted to relax, maybe travel a bit and do some work in the yard.
But soon enough, as it has for others, the retired life proved kind of dull for Zaremba. "You’re home and you just feel like you’re not accomplishing stuff anymore," he says. "I felt like my brain was turning to mush. I needed to do something to feel like I was contributing."
So Zaremba began looking for ways to help out in his community. He started serving lunches to the homeless at a local church. It was there that another volunteer told Zaremba about Experience Corps, a nonprofit that recruits tutors to mentor elementary school students struggling to learn to read.
Zaremba was initially skeptical. Did he really have the patience to sit down and tutor kids? But he decided to give it a try. Beginning last September, he began volunteering at a local public elementary school.
Five months later, and Zaremba is hooked. Every Monday and Wednesday morning, he heads to the school and sits down for a few hours with fourth graders, one-on-one, to walk through their assignments with them.
One student he works with a lot is a 10-year-old named Oscar, who sometimes has trouble concentrating. But Zaremba sits down and, together, they work through the assignments. Recently, Oscar raised his hand in class to respond to some questions. The teacher later approached Zaremba and told him that Oscar had never before volunteered to contribute.
"That made me feel good," he says.
Friday, April 20, 2018
Seeking ....
Seeking...
"Seeking to understand Me is like standing at the edge of a glorious ocean, trying to absorb its vast beauty—yet knowing you can see only a tiny portion of the waters stretching out before you." Jesus Lives, Sarah Young
Each morning pondering the Word, seeking understanding is like standing on the edge of that glorious ocean that Sarah Young describes...feeling like I am only touching one tiny grain of sand in the vastness of the ocean ....I can't fathom the hugeness of God...and the older I become, the more there is to understand and ponder...as John wrote about in the New Testament, there are enough books to fill about Jesus...and that was just about the three years Jesus was walking here on earth....
Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
John 21:25
But in His vastness, He is personally involved in each person's life as well...hard to understand the bigness and the personal as well...the oneness ...the Creator of the universe, way out there, resides inside each believer's heart as well...knowing our words and thoughts individually, while knowing the stars light years away...
Thank YOU ...in Your infiniteness for personally caring ...
"How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand — when I awake, I am still with you.
Psalm 139:17-18 NIV
Job 9
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:9 NIV
"Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. ”
Hosea 6:3 NIV
"We’re ready to study God , eager for God-knowledge. As sure as dawn breaks, so sure is his daily arrival. He comes as rain comes, as spring rain refreshing the ground.”
Hosea 6:3 MSG
“So let us know and become personally acquainted with Him; let us press on to know and understand fully the [greatness of the] Lord [to honor, heed, and deeply cherish Him]. His appearing is prepared and is as certain as the dawn, And He will come to us [in salvation] like the [heavy] rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.”
Hosea 6:3 AMP
"Seeking to understand Me is like standing at the edge of a glorious ocean, trying to absorb its vast beauty—yet knowing you can see only a tiny portion of the waters stretching out before you." Jesus Lives, Sarah Young
Each morning pondering the Word, seeking understanding is like standing on the edge of that glorious ocean that Sarah Young describes...feeling like I am only touching one tiny grain of sand in the vastness of the ocean ....I can't fathom the hugeness of God...and the older I become, the more there is to understand and ponder...as John wrote about in the New Testament, there are enough books to fill about Jesus...and that was just about the three years Jesus was walking here on earth....
Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
John 21:25
But in His vastness, He is personally involved in each person's life as well...hard to understand the bigness and the personal as well...the oneness ...the Creator of the universe, way out there, resides inside each believer's heart as well...knowing our words and thoughts individually, while knowing the stars light years away...
Thank YOU ...in Your infiniteness for personally caring ...
"How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand — when I awake, I am still with you.
Psalm 139:17-18 NIV
Job 9
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:9 NIV
"Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. ”
Hosea 6:3 NIV
"We’re ready to study God , eager for God-knowledge. As sure as dawn breaks, so sure is his daily arrival. He comes as rain comes, as spring rain refreshing the ground.”
Hosea 6:3 MSG
“So let us know and become personally acquainted with Him; let us press on to know and understand fully the [greatness of the] Lord [to honor, heed, and deeply cherish Him]. His appearing is prepared and is as certain as the dawn, And He will come to us [in salvation] like the [heavy] rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.”
Hosea 6:3 AMP
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Neighbors...
Neighbors...
I live in a neighborhood of mostly retirees...it wasn't really planned that way, but it is what it is...
My next door neighbor has a full time caretaker, her daughter...who looks warn out from the stress of caring for her mother who has dementia, can't live alone and can't afford to move to senior care facilities...
Another neighbor, down the street, her husband has almost quit eating and drinking, hospice has come and gone this week with care help, encouragement...
In another house, the husband lost his leg, the wife fell, and now both are in a care home...he used to exercise his dog each day when I walked, now the place is quiet, no longer a cute dog greeting mine or a visiting word...
But the day to day, hour by hour living is wearing these dear ones down...tears near the surface, brokenness, dread, guilt, praise alternate from one to the next in seconds...
Been there, done that....
While other neighbors are still trying to vacation, visit as much as they can, cleaning out their motor homes or flower beds, starting their fountains, irrigation as spring has arrived in spurts...
We are walking our dogs more and more in the sunshine which peaks through the variety of clouds...enjoying the new flowers, trees in bloom...all the while , while others are letting go of life here...
I give one hugs and listen all I can as she struggles, waiting ....
And think of the times I have been in her shoes...
It is so hard, but, God held my hand as he is hers, counting her tears as well...
We talked about stages of death yesterday...there are good resources...
https://hospicefoundation.org/hfa/media/Files/Hospice_TheDyingProcess_Docutech-READERSPREADS.pdf
http://www.caringinfo.org/files/public/brochures/UnderstandingtheDyingProces.pdf
https://www.verywell.com/the-journey-towards-death-1132504
A few of many references...
God is close as always...carrying her family...loving them through this process..
Thank YOU...
You who are my Comforter in sorrow, my heart is faint within me.
Jeremiah 8:18
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:1-6
Sunday, April 15, 2018
Adoption...
Adoption...
Two of my children have different genes than me. They are adopted...I have a hard time thinking of them as adopted....they were supposed to be a part of our family no matter how they came...that was God's plan...
Our youngest daughter was given to us right out of the hospital...our youngest son was in foster care for 19 months before he joined our family...
He entered as number four...
We knew snippets about their birth parents and as time went on, we promised as they turned 18 we would pursue through the state a connection, which we did and further asked a friend to pursue it further...with some success...
Now, as DNA tests are more readily available, both have been able to locate birth parents...our daughter, the history and researcher found much information and was able to connect a lot of dots and come up so much information on history, Facebook, etc...she is in contact with her birth father and other relatives...then she helped her brother find the information on his family as well...
I don't know where this will lead, but am so excited that they finally have some closure as well as a new chapter to write in their lives...I fully support this new adventure...it has been both scary and enlightening for each what they do with the information...it has given each history that is unique, connections that lead to new countries, new destinations and ancestry that is purely theirs...and I think a measure of peace as well...but, bottom line, they have been and are loved for who they are no matter what...they are heirs just as our biological children...Each one was entrusted to us as a blessing...
Adoption...what we experience as sons and daughters of our Creator...he loved and knew us before time...what a gift...we are heirs of the most high...as we come into his family by the redemption of His Son...as a parent, I desire what is best for my children-all of them...I want joy, contentment, growth, peace, fulfillment for each...just as God desires for each of us...thank YOU that you have revealed new paths for my children...thank YOU that adopt us as sons and daughters....that you love us so very much and desire the very best for us...that you have special paths for each...
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Romans 8:15-16
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
Galatians 4:4-7
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment —to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
Ephesians 1:3-10
The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. PSALM 126: 3
Two of my children have different genes than me. They are adopted...I have a hard time thinking of them as adopted....they were supposed to be a part of our family no matter how they came...that was God's plan...
Our youngest daughter was given to us right out of the hospital...our youngest son was in foster care for 19 months before he joined our family...
He entered as number four...
We knew snippets about their birth parents and as time went on, we promised as they turned 18 we would pursue through the state a connection, which we did and further asked a friend to pursue it further...with some success...
Now, as DNA tests are more readily available, both have been able to locate birth parents...our daughter, the history and researcher found much information and was able to connect a lot of dots and come up so much information on history, Facebook, etc...she is in contact with her birth father and other relatives...then she helped her brother find the information on his family as well...
I don't know where this will lead, but am so excited that they finally have some closure as well as a new chapter to write in their lives...I fully support this new adventure...it has been both scary and enlightening for each what they do with the information...it has given each history that is unique, connections that lead to new countries, new destinations and ancestry that is purely theirs...and I think a measure of peace as well...but, bottom line, they have been and are loved for who they are no matter what...they are heirs just as our biological children...Each one was entrusted to us as a blessing...
Adoption...what we experience as sons and daughters of our Creator...he loved and knew us before time...what a gift...we are heirs of the most high...as we come into his family by the redemption of His Son...as a parent, I desire what is best for my children-all of them...I want joy, contentment, growth, peace, fulfillment for each...just as God desires for each of us...thank YOU that you have revealed new paths for my children...thank YOU that adopt us as sons and daughters....that you love us so very much and desire the very best for us...that you have special paths for each...
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Romans 8:15-16
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
Galatians 4:4-7
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment —to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
Ephesians 1:3-10
The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. PSALM 126: 3
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Admonishment of Samuel to Saul...
Admonishment of Samuel to Saul...
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.
But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.
1 Samuel 12:23-24
Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.
Only fear the Lord [with awe and profound reverence] and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
1 Samuel 12:23-24 amp
“And neither will I walk off and leave you. That would be a sin against God! I’m staying right here at my post praying for you and teaching you the good and right way to live.
But I beg of you, fear God and worship him honestly and heartily. You’ve seen how greatly he has worked among you! "
1 Samuel 12:23 - 24 MSG
“As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you; and I will continue to teach you those things which are good and right. “Trust the Lord and sincerely worship him; think of all the tremendous things he has done for you.
1 Samuel 12:23-24 TLB
These verses in 1 Samuel, four different versions, leapt off the pages (it seemed) as I was reading this portion of scripture ...continuing in prayer...faithful in prayer...teaching what is right...serving where we are....encouraging ....remembering what God as done....
I needed them...they came at just the right time...in this "waiting time".. When it seems like many areas are on hold...faithfulness in life...then Paul wrote the following --encouraging followers...
And Jesus prayed for his disciples and for those who come later-us!!! Wow, we were created with purpose, planned for, prayed for, prepared for..by a God who loved us even "before" ...help me to at least be faithful in prayer...thank YOU...
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:11-12
I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.
2 Timothy 1:3
6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
John 17:6-26
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.
But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.
1 Samuel 12:23-24
Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.
Only fear the Lord [with awe and profound reverence] and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
1 Samuel 12:23-24 amp
“And neither will I walk off and leave you. That would be a sin against God! I’m staying right here at my post praying for you and teaching you the good and right way to live.
But I beg of you, fear God and worship him honestly and heartily. You’ve seen how greatly he has worked among you! "
1 Samuel 12:23 - 24 MSG
“As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you; and I will continue to teach you those things which are good and right. “Trust the Lord and sincerely worship him; think of all the tremendous things he has done for you.
1 Samuel 12:23-24 TLB
These verses in 1 Samuel, four different versions, leapt off the pages (it seemed) as I was reading this portion of scripture ...continuing in prayer...faithful in prayer...teaching what is right...serving where we are....encouraging ....remembering what God as done....
I needed them...they came at just the right time...in this "waiting time".. When it seems like many areas are on hold...faithfulness in life...then Paul wrote the following --encouraging followers...
And Jesus prayed for his disciples and for those who come later-us!!! Wow, we were created with purpose, planned for, prayed for, prepared for..by a God who loved us even "before" ...help me to at least be faithful in prayer...thank YOU...
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:11-12
I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.
2 Timothy 1:3
6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
John 17:6-26
Sunday, April 8, 2018
Bursting....
Bursting....
My fruit trees are starting to bloom and it has even been warm enough for the bees to be out buzzing busily in and around the blooms....first the peach and nectarine trees and now the pear trees, with the apple trees to come later , I hope...
These trees were just planted last fall when I moved into this new home. In my last home I planted fruit trees as well as they had produced two years of harvest...a gift to the present occupiers...
Now, I have a line of trees picked out and ready to plant in my next home...
The landscaper asked, "why not pull out last year's trees and take them with me"? But, to me it is a gift to leave behind...something beautiful and productive as well...something that shows hope for the new year...new fruit and growth...growing in stature with each season...
So I look out my windows and see spring flowers sprinkled amongst the flowering trees and see a new season....oh, there are weeds peeking out as well, needing attention...
Like life, the growth, the hope of things to come, the weeds to pull...new seasons of life...new springs after the winters...new adventures...new songs to sing...new lessons to learn...thank YOU that speak into our lives, Your living Word...revealing more of yourself...teaching more to our lives...transforming if we are willing...giving the joy of growth and producing your fruit into our beings...
For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.
Isaiah 61:11
So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul — then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil.
I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
Deuteronomy 11:13-15
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
My fruit trees are starting to bloom and it has even been warm enough for the bees to be out buzzing busily in and around the blooms....first the peach and nectarine trees and now the pear trees, with the apple trees to come later , I hope...
These trees were just planted last fall when I moved into this new home. In my last home I planted fruit trees as well as they had produced two years of harvest...a gift to the present occupiers...
Now, I have a line of trees picked out and ready to plant in my next home...
The landscaper asked, "why not pull out last year's trees and take them with me"? But, to me it is a gift to leave behind...something beautiful and productive as well...something that shows hope for the new year...new fruit and growth...growing in stature with each season...
So I look out my windows and see spring flowers sprinkled amongst the flowering trees and see a new season....oh, there are weeds peeking out as well, needing attention...
Like life, the growth, the hope of things to come, the weeds to pull...new seasons of life...new springs after the winters...new adventures...new songs to sing...new lessons to learn...thank YOU that speak into our lives, Your living Word...revealing more of yourself...teaching more to our lives...transforming if we are willing...giving the joy of growth and producing your fruit into our beings...
For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.
Isaiah 61:11
So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul — then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil.
I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
Deuteronomy 11:13-15
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
Thursday, April 5, 2018
A walk...
A walk...
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they celebrate your righteousness.
Psalm 89:15-16
I was awakened by this verse this morning..."walking"...
Walking faithfully...
Walking in obedience...
Walking in truth...
Walking In the ways of your laws...
Walking in praise...
Thank YOU that You desire to walk with us in your creation....help me to recognize my daily with You...
After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
Genesis 5:22-24
This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.
Genesis 6:9
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
Genesis 17:1
For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
Deuteronomy 30:16
Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.
Isaiah 26:8
He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
Acts 3:8
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
3 John 1:4
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they celebrate your righteousness.
Psalm 89:15-16
I was awakened by this verse this morning..."walking"...
Walking faithfully...
Walking in obedience...
Walking in truth...
Walking In the ways of your laws...
Walking in praise...
Thank YOU that You desire to walk with us in your creation....help me to recognize my daily with You...
After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
Genesis 5:22-24
This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.
Genesis 6:9
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
Genesis 17:1
For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
Deuteronomy 30:16
Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.
Isaiah 26:8
He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
Acts 3:8
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
3 John 1:4
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Red....
Red....
I started with a simple thought and it escalated to a more complicated idea...the color red...
It turns out there is a lot written about the color "red"...
I was just thinking about in context of our family...dad's red truck...or about travels seeing red in different cultures...
Red for Christmas and Valentine's Day ...
Red lanterns in China for restaurants...
Red in flags...
Red roses for love...
Red on flags for patriotism ...
Red advertisements catches your attention ...
Red or scarlet for Rahab's cord to save her family in The taking of Jericho...
"Red light district" in Nevada for the area of prostitution...
Red stop signs, light for stopping traffic...(as I am driving one of my grandsons,"stop" means stop on the sign, "what color is the light, do we stop or go")
Reed blood that was shed for our salvation...
Red, a power color....
Red trucks were my husband's favorite color for a truck...as opposed to the white trucks driven by the rest of the geologist population ...
Or living in the "red" for debts as opposed to living in the black for profit...
Red in the building of the tabernacle in the wilderness ...
Lots of connotations...not a simple color or concept...and other colors have various meanings as well, but it seems that red has the most worldwide...interesting...
It still invokes an ambush for our family...it still means "dad" or "my husband".. Not sure when that will go away, if it will...I still get teary eyed when the subject comes up, my throat tighteneds...but now for the wonderful memories that it brings as well...
Favorite verses...
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
Isaiah 1:18
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
Ephesians 1:7
That red blood has power that is hard to even describe...but it has forgiveness...to everyone..a hope for salvation...cleansing like no other...to purity of white ...
Thank YOU...
https://www.incredibleart.org/lessons/middle/color2.htm
https://www.wou.edu.wp/exhibits/files/2015/07/christianity.pdf
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2014/11/03/what-does-the-color-red-mean-or-symbolize-in-the-bible/
I started with a simple thought and it escalated to a more complicated idea...the color red...
It turns out there is a lot written about the color "red"...
I was just thinking about in context of our family...dad's red truck...or about travels seeing red in different cultures...
Red for Christmas and Valentine's Day ...
Red lanterns in China for restaurants...
Red in flags...
Red roses for love...
Red on flags for patriotism ...
Red advertisements catches your attention ...
Red or scarlet for Rahab's cord to save her family in The taking of Jericho...
"Red light district" in Nevada for the area of prostitution...
Red stop signs, light for stopping traffic...(as I am driving one of my grandsons,"stop" means stop on the sign, "what color is the light, do we stop or go")
Reed blood that was shed for our salvation...
Red, a power color....
Red trucks were my husband's favorite color for a truck...as opposed to the white trucks driven by the rest of the geologist population ...
Or living in the "red" for debts as opposed to living in the black for profit...
Red in the building of the tabernacle in the wilderness ...
Lots of connotations...not a simple color or concept...and other colors have various meanings as well, but it seems that red has the most worldwide...interesting...
It still invokes an ambush for our family...it still means "dad" or "my husband".. Not sure when that will go away, if it will...I still get teary eyed when the subject comes up, my throat tighteneds...but now for the wonderful memories that it brings as well...
Favorite verses...
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
Isaiah 1:18
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
Ephesians 1:7
That red blood has power that is hard to even describe...but it has forgiveness...to everyone..a hope for salvation...cleansing like no other...to purity of white ...
Thank YOU...
https://www.incredibleart.org/lessons/middle/color2.htm
https://www.wou.edu.wp/exhibits/files/2015/07/christianity.pdf
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2014/11/03/what-does-the-color-red-mean-or-symbolize-in-the-bible/
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