Restlessness.....

Will there be rest.....from. Restlessness......

I am Trying a new -to -me  medical treatment for fibromyalgia , biofeedback...

"An electromyogram (EMG) measures the electrical activity of muscles. It is used in conventional medicine to diagnose a variety of nerve and muscle diseases and in biofeedback to help heal muscle injuries and relieve chronic pain...."  

One of the side effects for me is restlessness...jumping for job to job, lack of concentration/focus  for about 24 hours.  But, do I ever sleep!!!  What a delight!!!

Another time, I remember restlessness took this degree is when I took a steroid for a bad case do poison oak...I couldn't sit still, was like the rabbit commercial only in fast motion. I got a quilt done that had half inch pieces ....In that episode.   Never made another like it...

Both of these have their basis in medical techniques.....On another level...There are times in life when a restlessness encompasses life ....when I am waiting for an answer.... when everything is In such disarray that I can't think....when the world seems to be caving in......the walls of the ocean of life are  so tall that I see no light ......day after weary day marches on.....restlessness.....waiting....uncertainty....

There is always a unfathomable well of peace to draw from...

God , Himself, stands there, holding out His arms waiting for acknowledgement , waiting to extend that peace, that rest from turmoil...

I don't like living InThe turmoil...the restlessness either medically or emotionally...it is exhausting...I want to fall into those arms held out....that peace that in undefinable....but real, all encompassing...

Job 3:26

I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.”

Job 30:17

17 Night pierces my bones;

    my gnawing pains never rest.

Psalm 22:2

My God, I cry out by day,........., by night, but I find no rest.

Ecclesiastes 2:23

All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.

Psalm 55:6

I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.

Psalm 62:1

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.

Psalm 62:5

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.

Thank you,,,for that peace. .....it is real......not a figment of anyone's imagination...infinite....

Freedom....

Freedom.....

The concept of freedom is spoken of from Genesis to Revelations.....

We all want freedom,,,,from worry, fear, pain, rules ,death.....just about everything...we want our own way, right or wrong, we want it...we want what our preconceived expectations have borne...sometimes we are willing to pay the price of freedom...other time, we expected for "free" at no cost....

There are some things that are free...the smell of a new morning after the rain...a sunset, sunrise, a smile...the beauty of creation.   Salvation.....but it came at a cost....to someone else....

There are some things that are free but with restrictions.....fruit from the garden - the designated fruits, .....driving in the correct side of the road at the accepted speed limit....

We see nations world over in uproar for freedom...it has been going on since Cain and. Abel...I want what you have........so is it my freedom versus yours....

It seems the only way to have freedom is in the truth....no one can catch us , we can know it in put heads and hearts.... Christ. Is that truth....and only he sets free....

Genesis 2:15-17

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Exodus 6:6

“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.

Job 33:9

‘I am pure, I have done no wrong; I am clean and free from sin.

Psalm 25:17

Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish.

Psalm 31:4

Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge.

Psalm 119:45

I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.

Mark 5:34

He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Luke 1:64

Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.

Luke 4:18

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,

John 8:32

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:36

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Acts 13:39

Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.

Galatians 5:1

[ Freedom in Christ ] It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Where is your freedom today.....forever????

Early poetry....teaching time

Early poetry...teaching times.....

..I have been going through boxes of old papers.  I found the magazines, newspapers of JFK ' s assassination, old high school papers , my first poem,   letters from boyfriends, and future husband..., old dolls, pictures of friends , even my kindergarten picture as well as pictures of my old glasses which are coming back..., the flood of 1964 on the west coast......

tossed so much away...memories to me, but junk to others.  ......they don't need so much to go through , there will be enough.....and my family will wonder why did she save this????? What is the message here, value, who , what when, where......  Plus, they will have treasures of their own.....

In the Old Testament , the people kept various thing s as memorials from  events in their lives.  They were to teach their children day and night what God has done for them...teach his statutes, commands, laws,,,,but traveling through the desert, they didn't carry storage units of papers, stuff to the promised land...4H fair ribbons, diaries with rusty locks , old newspapers....they carried more important things, treasures to build the tabernacle, basics...bedding, clothes...dishes, .......

The ark of the covenant carried Aaron's rod that budded, a container of manna,,the tablets of the covenant law...all to represent what people needed to remember.......God's law, his provision, their rebellion....and the consequences...

All this to say, what is important Is not the ,"stuff" we accumulate...it is what we teach by our words, action....those are the real......they are eternal....the words, .....the emotions....God's. word....

Exodus 16:34

As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law, so that it might be preserved.

Numbers17:10 The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.” 11 Moses did just as the Lord commanded him.

Deuteronomy 11:19

Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Held....

Held......

One of the love languages is touch.....we all need it to a certain degree, some, more than others......it is nice to have that comforting hug or show affection or care.  Just to know that you are cared for and loved ....it has been said that we need 6 to 8 hugs a day for good emotional health...sounds good....we who are widows or single miss that touch of our mates..holding hands, comfort In times of turmoil ...a simple hand on the arm....touch, comfort...

I know I have asked God to hold my hand several times in the last months...He gives me peace in the time of need...sends someone to hug, sometimes...that loving touch....care...a word here and there....I have to look for it and  receive it....joy in it...hug it to my soul...

Numbers 11:12

Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors?

Deuteronomy 33:27a

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms....

Ruth 4:16

Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him ...

Proverbs 31:20

She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.

Isaiah 40:11

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young...

Mark 10:16

And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

Hug someone today...they may need it and so may you....

House repairs.....

House repairs.....

The house that I bought last year came with a one year warranty. It is hard to believe that the year is almost gone.  It has been a very long year and very short year in many ways.....a year of learning, leaning, sorrow and joy...change......growth(I hope)....family, friends, ......more change......

But, I have been putting together a list of repairs that should be repaired....popped nails as the wood has dried, gate latch that doesn't work, doors that don't close,  ......most are small repairs as the foundation And major construction seems to be okay.....

It made me contemplate my house , or body that I live in, my heart where Christ resides....what do I need to look for , list and repair.....confess, places of growth or in need of growth....is my foundation sure....

There was a book written many years ago, 1979, My Heart, Christ's Home, by Robert munger for Fuller Theological seminary's publication, Theology.  It is still being updated and revised.  he compared each room of a home to a place in our heart.  What repairs are needed,what resides there.....what does the individual need to welcome Christ there and others....a good quick, thoughtful read....

The library-what books reside there..that are we thinking....God's word or not

The dining room- our appetites...what do we yearn for.....

The hall closet-what have we shoved away or are hiding that needs to be cleaned out....

Etc........

House repairs.....

2 Kings 12:13-15

13 The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the Lord; 14 it was paid to the workers, who used it to repair the temple. 15 They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.

2 Chronicles 24:13

The men in charge of the work were diligent, and the repairs progressed under them. They rebuilt the temple of God according to its original design and reinforced it.

Ezra 9:9

Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

Psalm 26:2

Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;

Psalm 139:23

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Proverbs 5:21a

For your ways are in full view of the Lord, .....

Lamentations 3:40

Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.

2 Corinthians 13:5

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

My life , is in need of constant examination.   What do I need to repair, replace....is each room ready, repaired....ready for the Savior????

Rest and fireworks.....

Rest and fireworks.......

For some unknown  reason., maybe because it is the Fourth of July weekend, we have a neighbor who has been setting off the "kabomb" noisy firework late at night...starting about 10 pm until midnight ......kabombing  every twenty minutes more or less....

For me personally, this is not restful... I am in need of that deep REM sleep between 10 and 1 a.m. To be able to function a little better during the day....

So have resorted to earplugs which are somewhat helpful....

But I still need rest....as we all do..we need physical rest.....mental and emotional rest....spiritual rest....

In the Old Testament , God gave the commands to rest on the seventh day.  Later, he even talks about giving land a rest every seventh year.....all to replenish our bodies, minds and and land...

He also speaks of rest from our enemies, rest from war...

Exodus 33:14

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Exodus 33:13-15 (in Context) Exodus 33 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

 the land....

Genesis 18:4

Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.

Exodus 31:17

It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”

Exodus 33:14

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Deuteronomy 33:12

About Benjamin he said: “Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.”

Joshua 21:44

The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hands.

Psalm 16:9

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,

Psalm 62:1

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.

Psalm 62:5

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.

Psalm 91:1

 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 116:7

Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.

In the New Testament , Jesus speaks those words of rest by coming to Him....

Matthew 11:28-29

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

We long for rest, our bodies, souls,minds....we need it....so enjoy the fireworks, but don't forget to rest.....

Colors, colors everwhere

Beauty in color....

The oaks in my neighborhood have "fall colors" in the spring.   When the leaves fist emerge, they are red, yellowish to orange turning green as they mature.  Then in the fall, they turn brown and stay on the trees until the next spring.......

But, the colors all around never cease to amaze and please me....the blues of the delphiniums, larkspurs, bachelor buttons, pansies and scabiosa.  The reds of the petunias, pansies, and so wither unnamed flowers.  The whites, the yellows, the oranges of the poppies and peonies...the pinks of many different flowers....unending beauty in color...differences in shape, size, texture....smell, use...

Colors are part of God's word with the rainbow, covering all the colors.....

 stones  in various books .....for building....wearing...carnelian-red see thru; lapis lazuli-brilliant blues ; turquoise ; amethyst; malachite-coppery greens ; coal-black; pearls; sulfur-yellows , oranges ; galena-deep metallic silver;gold; jasper-deep red; alabaster -pinks; flint -gray,; onyx-transparent tans and grays; ruby and garnets-red; emeralds-greens ..

  We have used various colors for different emotions ...even having the science of colors and what colors to paint in different settings. ...to evoke different feelings....

We have affixed different values on Various stones over the ages, using them as gifts, decorations, etc, even different colors of the same stone has different value...

I don't know the significance of all the colors..but we have  taken some to make the wordless color books to share God's great salvation...

Black for sin

Red for the blood that was shed for us 

Blue for redemption

Purple for the royalty of Christ

White for the cleansing that we can have through Jesus

Green for the growth we can experience in His Word

Yellow for our eternal home in glory

We see some of these colors used in the building of the temple...

Genesis 9:16

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

Revelation 4:3

And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.

Exodus 28:17

Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite and beryl;

Exodus 39:8-14

8 They fashioned the breastpiece—the work of a skilled craftsman. They made it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 9 It was square—a span[b] long and a span wide—and folded double. 10 Then they mounted four rows of precious stones on it. The first row was carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; 11 the second row was turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; 12 the third row was jacinth, agate and amethyst; 13 the fourth row was topaz, onyx and jasper.[c] They were mounted in gold filigree settings. 14 There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

Colors everywhere, waiting to be discovered, enjoyed...both visually and emotionally .....watch for them...and enjoy God's gift....to all of us..