Silk saris…bouquet of flowers…a shared meal…

 Silk saris, flower bouquets, a meal…

*a friend’s knitting project…

*fresh flowers…

*clothing poor women in India…

*shredded silk saris…

*a meal with friends…

*a sermon on care for others, including widows…

These topics may not look like they connect, but they do, in my mind, having happened all in one weekend to emphasize a point and a ministry…

First, I commented on a friend’s beautiful knitting project she is working on, having  shared it on Facebook…I known her most of her life, her parents, grandparents…in ministry and out…one of her grandmothers taught on of the first women’s Bible study I ever attended.. 

Second, another friend brought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers…giving to and encouraging others …thank you…

Third and fourth, I was sorting and downsizing my work/craft closet and came upon some leftover yarn made of shredded Indian saris.This beautiful silk yarn, I was told at the time I bought it, was made from cast off saris of widows in India…an acquaintance used to collect funds before going to India each year to buy new saris for the very poor widows she worked with. (There was the potential that they could then sell their used saris for yarn-learned from another source)

I am sending my sari yarn to the friend who is knitting.

Fifth, A meal of Mediterranean spices and a new recipe was shared with me, a widow.

Sixth, a sermon on caring…I love the story of Dorcas in the Bible, her servant’s heart, her caring for others…her life well lived…giving…supplying clothing for the poor…the love she gave out comes back in full measure…abundance, pressed down and pouring over…the example for us today…we all can give in the ways God calls us…quietly or upfront…with drum rolls or in secret…generosity played out…thank you…

Thank YOU for pulling the weekend together with a theme, a lesson…it is amazing to see Your “fingerprints “ in our thoughts, events…

 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 

Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” 

Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. 

All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 

Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. 

Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” 

She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. 

Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 

This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

Acts.9.36-42

I like that last line…”many believed”…I hope that people believed not only from the healing Peter did, but from the good works that 

Dorcas preformed as well…her care for them…her love…

 

 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Luke.6.38

 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.

1Tim.5:3-12, 16

Thank You for giving to the Lord…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFrdJ2V3r7Y

https://www.darngoodyarn.com/blogs/darn-good-blog/the-story-behind-sari-silk-ribbon

https://www.inspirajournals.com/uploads/Issues/1307881203.pdf

The gift of rest/sleep…

 The gift of rest/sleep….

Sleeping/resting in a sleeper train car over 50 years ago was a bit difficult…we were returning from Montreal, riding the Canadian National Railroad… had been attending a Geological Conference…I was pregnant, tired and ready to get home…

The trip was beautiful, the scenery sliding by at a rapid pace…going from cities, rural, “outback”, prairies, forests, lakes, mountains and finally arriving in .Vancouver, BC…

My parents in law were on the other side of a thin partition dividing the room by night…my father in law had a very deep, very penetrating loud voice-no whispering…so when he talked, you heard…consequently, no sleep even with ear plugs…both my husband and I were exhausted when we finally arrived  home…

Sleep…that sometimes elusive part of life…for me…having been raised in the country as an only child, I needed and still need quiet to go to sleep…my husband, the youngest of a family of boys, could sleep anywhere, anytime…we learned each other’s needs quickly after marriage…one of the growing times…

Lately, sleep has been a bit elusive…and was thinking about 

Bible times and characters, the topic of sleep in the Word…

God rested, not that He needed it, but as an example that what he created needed it…those days after a week of work, winter time gives rest before the abundance of spring…it is a healthy thing to do…

God provides sleep, rest, sustaining, refreshment…

Jesus needed rest after arduously helping and healing the crowds…even in the storm…

  We do need rest…and Thank YOU …

 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

 Gen.2.2-3

 I lie down and sleep;I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.

Ps.3.5

 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 pathsfor his name’s sake.

Ps.23.1-3

 I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

 Jer.31.25-26

 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

 Matt.8:20

 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.

Matt.8.24

 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.

Matt.26.43-45

https://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep

Reside, Rest…Ben Potter

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

Relaxing in Worship…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XjU_oynw3w

Control …

  Control….

Lately, for the past few months, I feel like I have been ruled by pain…I realize that God is really the real controller of all, so He is allowing the pain to rule…it is in charge of the amount of sleep I get, the trips I take, whether I am up to church/Sunday School/Bible study, family time, whether I have to lay down or sit, or stand, what time I can go to grocery store or anywhere, what I make for meals with amount of energy I have, writing a blog at 2 am or noon or not, how many phone calls I have strength for, etc…exercise has been cut out, walking a thing of the past(I hope I can revisit soon)…a huge change in life for me…I was even proud that I could maintain all the above with an “no-Problem attitude”… but, 

pride goes before a fall…”.  …and it hit big time…

So, what we really need is to be controlled by the Spirit of the Living God”…not by pain, pride or whatever seems to take control…

Leaving the days in His hands… no matter age, ability …Flexibility to His plans …He is always working to our good…

Thank YOU…

 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have die."

2Cor.5.1

 I charge you in the sight of God….This will be, in his own time, the final denouement of God, who is the blessed controller of all things, the king over all kings and the master of all masters, the only source of immortality, the one who lives in unapproachable light, the one whom no mortal eye has ever seen or ever can see. To him be acknowledged all honour and power for ever, amen!

1Tim.6.13-16, Phillips…

 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

Titus.2.11-13

This beaver, has a plan and he will not be thwarted from it…build a dam,with whatever resources he has…

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02jQPTv7ZeHWmvq3CKnqxf65vdQVdT47t7nr4GWzuuonSPJGsTHLxtqGwnfdP3fj6nl&id=100069116623699

Praise You in this storm…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWGf4a4ngM8

John 8…words…

 John 8…words…

Reading John 8, I couldn’t help but see Isaiah 55 as well…once again Jesus is in the Old Testament as well as the New…the eternal Word reaches into past, present and future…the infinite…the ever present…He is same yesterday, today and tomorrow…He isn’t just a history book…He is…

Thank YOU….

 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 

The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 

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

Why do you not understand what I say? 

It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 

Whoever is of God hears the words of God. 

The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

John.8.23,John.8.31,John.8.32,John.8.34,John.8.35,John.8.36,John.8.43,John.8.47,John.8.51

 “Come, everyone who thirsts,come to the waters;and he who has no money,come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 

Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,and your labor for that which does not satisfy?

Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,and delight yourselves in rich food. 

Incline your ear, and come to me;

hear, that your soul may live;and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,my steadfast, sure love for David. 

Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,a leader and commander for the peoples. 

Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,for he has glorified you. 

“Seek the Lord while he may be found;

call upon him while he is near; 

let the wicked forsake his way,and the unrighteous man his thoughts;

let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth,making it bring forth and sprout,giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 

“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing,and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 

Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;and it shall make a name for the Lord,an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Isa.55.1-13

He is…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7Btc3g0UaU

“No one ever spoke like this man….”

 “No one ever spoke like this man…”

John 7:1-52 speaks of Jesus’ visit and participation in the annual celebration of the Festival of the Tabernacles…

This was/is celebrated in the fall to commemorate 40 years in the wilderness, by the building of three walled “booths” which people slept and /or are in for 7 days…also it was associated with fall rains which are needed for the spring crops…it was also the end of

Grape season…

So deliverance

water-   All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Exod.17.1-6

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified .John.7.37-39

wine…

Exodus 23:16

16 "Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field. "Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.

“The good wine”…

The passage has so many back and forth exchanges between the Pharisees and Jesus while He was teaching…with even the the temple guards saying, “ The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!”

John.7.46

 

I appreciated this comment…the teachers were trying so hard to trip up Jesus and he would not be distracted…he told it like it was… and here were these guards taking it all in…their hearts and minds were open…

Later like Paul’s guards later on…some of whom were converted to 

Christianity…these temple guards stood on the sideline, ease dropping, and heard Jesus speak…and were touched…(makes one wonder if we will see them in Heaven)…Were they thirsty for that living water that Jesus Promised?

thank YOU …all can come to YOU…

https://www.christianity.com/wiki/holidays/what-is-the-feast-of-tabernacles-bible-story-and-christian-meaning.html

https://www.learnreligions.com/feast-of-tabernacles-700181

Loving water…

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

Transfiguration…

  

Transfiguration….

Best friends are gathered for last minute fittings, the bride calls them to her, gathering for last minute preparations…

Then the day comes…the music starts, the wedding party takes their places….the groom stands, nervous, fidgets, lick his lips, clears his throat, pastes on a smile…the processional starts, the congregation stands,  the bride comes into view, radiant in white, beauty eclipsing all of those around…the groom’s eyes are only on his bride…a smile, wide and welcoming covers his face, awe settles over them both…this is the wedding they have been preparing for…these moments of pure joy and reverence…announcing to the world their love and marriage…

“Transfiguration Sunday celebrates the glorious revelation of God in Jesus Christ and Christ’s manifestation as the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. Jesus’ radiant appearance on the mountaintop evokes the devouring fire of the glory of the LORD at Mount Sinai (Exodus 24.17).”

I realize that the marriage ceremony and the transfiguration are not the same, but, I couldn’t get the pictures out of my mind…(the marriage ceremony of the Lamb comes later in the Word…)..the bride dressed in white, sparkling with love is transformed, while the groom is thinking…” this is my bride whom I love”…Jesus transfigured, his clothing becoming white as light…God saying,”this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”…both before their closest friends…a declaration for all to see…

Jesus declares himself to us every time we open the Word…maybe not with brightness and light, but the brightness of the Truth….and we are transformed by that truth…

Thank YOU….

 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 

And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 

And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 

He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 

When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 

But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Matt.17.1-8

Mark 9:2-8

 Luke 9:29-36

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfiguration_of_Jesus

 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

2Pet.1.16-18

Shine Jesus Shine…

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

I stand amazed…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue8ZCAc9xQ8

https://stmarksolathe.org/sermons/sunday-february-19-2023transfiguration-of-our-lord/

Fractured…

 Fractured…

 

 An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest.

Luke.9.46

 A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

Luke.22:24-27

I hurt my back last June, about 9 months ago…since then I have been through all kinds of tests, PT, shots, pain killers, etc…it has changed my life in how I sit, sleep or not, stand or not, , walk, lay, travel or not, interact with people, and has only gotten worse. This past week after two more MRIs and more X-rays, I finally got a diagnosis. I have a fractured hip which needs replacing…

I don’t say this for any sympathy, but, just reading  these few verses on arguments, disputes reminded me of fractures…we endure fractures in relationships over many things…here are the disciples, being mentored by Jesus, the perfect teacher, and yet, in their humanness they get into a very human dispute…comparisons…this could break their relationships with one another, hurt others to the point of not being mended. But,  Jesus has an answer…or lesson for them to learn through their disputes…He takes their everyday life and uses it to teach in a teachable moment…

Through the Word, and applying it to life… we have those same moments…fractures, pictures, everyday situations…if we are listening, we have those teachable moments as well…God through the Holy Spirit is teaching us… counseling us, convicting us…

Thank YOU…

 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John.14.26

 Teach me your way, O Lord,that I may walk in your truth;unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me;you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

Ps.86.11-13

Teach me Your way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpTm4cR6CDc