I Love 💕 Cauliflower Crust Pizza 🍕
How do you get older than 60 and finally try your first cauliflower crust pizza? By thinking they might come out something like this picture. Lol 🤣 I mean, I really like cauliflower, but I couldn’t picture it laying on a pizza tray with toppings that would stay in place.
But I wanted to spend some time with a nephew and his son and share some cool coloring books created by a Christian writer friend, so I found a pizza place that made salads, and that was totally my intention for dinner. Instead, I saw the availability of the cauliflower crust and feta cheese, and I decided to try it. They let me choose up to 8 toppings, so I added chicken, bacon, basil, tomato, green peppers, and onion. Here’s a close up of what it looks like in a real image…
I don’t know if that does it justice, but I do know the flavor has made it one of my favorite thin crust pizzas ever. And because of my cow dairy sensitivity, the restaurant informed me that they even made sure to use all clean utensils and prep areas to avoid any cross contamination. I’m so impressed, and other than the bacon, I feel like it was a more healthy meal for me as well. If you’re ever near a place called “Craft House Pizza,” I would highly recommend a visit. Wherever you go and can find this type of crust, give it a try and let me know what you think.
Oh, and for those of you who like to try new and creative pizzas, hubby was really impressed with their pickle pizza. That’s why you see pickles in the AI image at the top of this post. The heart-shaped cauliflower is for sticking to my February theme, of course, but it also represents the non-wheat crust as maybe a little better for the heart.❤️🩹
I’ll end with a simple reminder that our physical heart is only one part of the wondrous way we’ve been created by Our Loving Father, Abba Yahveh. King David realized we are both fearfully and wonderfully made. And his son, Solomon, passed along this wisdom…
Proverbs 4:23 WEBUS
[23] Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
https://bible.com/bible/206/pro.4.23.WEBUS
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Shema (Listen) to God’s Heart
My Bible study today had one of the most important verses in all of written Scripture. From Deuteronomy 6:4, it’s called “The Shema” and in The Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) it reads…
D'varim (Deu) 6:4 CJB
[4] “Sh’ma, Yisra’el! Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad [Hear, Isra’el! Adonai our God, Adonai is one];
https://bible.com/bible/1275/deu.6.4.CJB
I wanted to create an image that spoke that powerful message so worth listening to. LISTEN! Listen, Israel. Listen, people. Listen, everyone. Just listen. God’s Word is speaking, and it’s pouring out love you can hear, if you will just listen.
When I was running from God and doing things my own way, the thing I really needed to do was listen. I asked God all the “why” questions, but I didn’t listen for His answer, so I didn’t hear the loving words He was speaking to me. He used my own pride against me and got me to a place where I felt stuck (fake praying in a church, so I would look like everyone else there) to slow me down enough to listen and hear. And my life has never been the same.
As I’m writing this, I’m realizing that the words He spoke to me that night were from that Scripture, and I’d not actually realized it. See, the women in the church were gathered around me because they thought the new “sinner” in their midst was praying to be saved. And I had my head buried in my hands to hide that I was faking while trying to figure out how to get out of the situation. That’s when I clearly heard a voice speak, and it said, “You’re not rejecting these people, and you’re not rejecting all the people who hurt you in your life. You’re rejecting me, and I’ve never done anything to hurt you.”
He was speaking directly to me to listen to Him and let Him (not people) be my ONLY (Hebrew word echad) Lord and God. That word means both one and only, and it begs us to hear His voice and tune out all the others.
Even my voice, though I write from my heart and the testimonies God has given me, is not the main voice you should listen to. I pray those who read my blog let my voice lead to The One and Only, Alpha and Omega, First and Last, The Beginning and The End, Yahveh Almighty. And when they hear Him, may they make Him their own One and Only… Forever!
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A Heart for Rescue
I tried to get the AI to make a heart rescuing a heart because the risk and care taken by real-life rescuers really takes a lot of heart. It got close, anyway. This is for the 85th birthday of the Coast Guard on Feb 19th.
And, I cannot think of anything Coast Guard without thinking of my uncle who went to Vietnam on a CG cutter called the Minnetonka. Here’s a shot of the day he got home and the big welcome banner my dad painted for him…
I was little, but I think he’s holding my little sister. I love seeing all the family there to “rescue” him from his long term at sea. There were many families waiting for returns that day, and what a celebration it is to bring a soldier or sailor back home.
While we humans celebrate safe returns of those we love, imagine our Creator who doesn’t want ANYONE to perish waiting with open arms to bring us into our forever home with Him. His Word is filled with glimpses and promises to show just how important that reunion will be. We get just a tiny taste of it each time we share God’s joy by lifting Him up and seeing Him draw a new soul to His kingdom life. The truth is, He could go out and just rescue souls by Himself, but He invites us to participate with Him because He wants to share that intense joy with us. If you’ve ever reached out to a lost soul and then got to be there in that joyous moment when they decide to turn their life around, you know what a privilege it is to be part of that big rescue.
God’s Holy Scriptures give us a number of invitations to be that giant heart performing rescues from the choppy waves of sin that threaten to drown many souls. Here are a few of them…
Psalms 82:4 WEBUS
[4] Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”
https://bible.com/bible/206/psa.82.4.WEBUS
Proverbs 24:11 WEBUS
[11] Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!
https://bible.com/bible/206/pro.24.11.WEBUS
Psalms 37:40 WEBUS
[40] Yahweh helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they have taken refuge in him.
https://bible.com/bible/206/psa.37.40.WEBUS
And then the praise of the Psalmist who knew from what God rescued him…
Psalms 40:2 WEBUS
[2] He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, and gave me a firm place to stand.
https://bible.com/bible/206/psa.40.2.WEBUS
I remember my rescue, and sometimes, when life gets hard, that memory helps keep me going. Join me in worship for your own rescue as you listen to this lyric video of “He Brought me Out”…
So Happy 85th Birthday to the sailors and rescuers of the US Coast Guard, and happy seeking to rescue the perishing and care for the dying to all believers who know we have a gift worth sharing with those who are still lost and without Christ. May God lead you to know when to sow and when to reap, and may He give you abundant joy as you watch Him give the increase of rescued souls.
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My Love for Weird History
It was an “udderly” successful flight that changed history. A cow named Nellie Jay (who was later renamed Elm Farm Ollie), made remarkable strides in flight on February 18th, 1930. No, she did not have red hearts instead of regular cow spots, but she was the first cow to be flown in an airplane and milked while in flight. The day is now known as “Cow Milked While Flying in an Airplane Day” and is celebrated every February 18th.
You can read all about the cow and its history at https://www.holidaycalendar.io/holiday/cow-milked-while-flying-in-an-airplane-day and https://nationaltoday.com/cow-milked-while-flying-in-an-airplane-day/ which each have unique focus on telling what happened. I like that the Holiday Calendar site (first link) gives ideas for celebrating the day, and the National Today site tells what day of the week these special days and celebrations fall on.
If you’re not interested in flying cows, you can look up the history of how the (dwarf) planet Pluto was discovered on the same day. The day has a few other designations, but since I like the quirky ones, I’m pretty glad for “Thumb Appreciation Day.” 1,2,3,4, I declare thumb war. 👍👍🤜🤛
I’m not sure why I’m attracted to news of the weird, funny, unusual, or odd stuff in this world, but it’s a bit of comic stress relief even if it doesn’t create rolling laughter like animal videos. 😁 But, if we have a sense of humor, it’s pretty likely that God does too, and we get ours from Him. I mean, think about Elisha helping someone retrieve a lost axe head by making it swim to him. Or how about Jonah? The reluctant prophet not only got swallowed up by a whale, he got thrown up by it as well. And then God grew a giant bush over his head and later sent a worm to devour it, just so Jonah could face the silliness of his temper tantrums. And of course, there is also the story of the talking donkey. I wrote about that one back in 2014 on a post called “Donkey Talk Blues” that includes 2 fun videos; one by ApologetiX and one by Don Francisco. If you want to see them, visit https://crystal-writes.com/2014/06/23/donkey-talk-blues/.
Sure, all those stories have the element of being teachable moments from The Lord, but that doesn’t mean God didn’t find a little humor in things as He made them happen for whatever purposes He planned. He had Sarah and Abraham name their son Isaac to remember that she laughed at the possibility of having a son in her in old age–which is its own funny story when you picture a pregnant 99-year-old woman. He added joy as a fruit of The Spirit. And YahShua (Jesus) even told the disciples that He taught them commandments to make sure their joy would be made full. So, whether it be joy, laughter, or just a really big smile, join me in looking for all the gifts of “happy” shown to us by our Lord and Abba Father.
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Two Hearts in Every Bible
The holy Word of God is so alive that we can find God’s heartbeat from Genesis to Revelation with just a cursory reading. But we only truly find Him when we seek and search for Him with all of our heart.
But that’s where the paradox comes in. How do you seek God with all your heart when you don’t even know your own heart and mind all that well? We’re told the heart is deceitful, made of stone, and is filled with evil thoughts and other sins. It can seem pretty hopeless if you stop with just that knowledge. And that’s where the small measures of grace sown into every man’s heart comes into play.
Romans 12:3b WEBUS
[3] ...think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.
https://bible.com/bible/206/rom.12.3.WEBUS
Once we tap into that measure of faith, we can use it just enough to open God’s Word and find out exactly what kind of heart we have. We will see ourselves and our paths laid out in the stories of others.
Proverbs 27:19 WEBUS
[19] Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
https://bible.com/bible/206/pro.27.19.WEBUS
But, once we see who and what we are, we should not stop there. If we walk away, we may forget what we saw and miss the blessing of God bringing the changes we desperately need.
James 1:24 WEBUS
[24] for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
https://bible.com/bible/206/jas.1.24.WEBUS
BUT IF HE STAYS, THEN...
Ezekiel 36:26 WEBUS
[26] I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
https://bible.com/bible/206/ezk.36.26.WEBUS
You can pray as King David did for a clean heart, and then you refill it with God’s Holy Spirit and Word. When it’s clean and pure, then you have the promise that you will see God. And from there, it’s a step by step walk, fail, learn, find grace pattern that will take you to an eternity with The One who has promised you a wellspring of life if you’ll just trust Him.
Are you ready to begin?
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A Patriotic Heart–Daily Prompt 1850
Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?
The definition of patriot from Merriam-Webster says, “one who loves and supports their country” and includes synonyms of loyalist and nationalist. The “Did You Know” section at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patriot has some interesting history of the word. And, of course, if you’re gonna call yourself patriotic, which means to be a patriot, you should know the meaning of the word.
I wasn’t planning on responding to the prompt today, but it seemed to match the picture I’d already created, so I figured I would try. And in looking at some other responses, maybe it’s necessary. I grew up with a strong respect for our country, our flag, and our leadership–including local law enforcement. I’ve never thought it was okay for someone to flout the law of the land just because they didn’t like it. That doesn’t mean that I’ve been perfect, but it does mean I respect the law and know when I’ve done wrong and deserve consequences (with sequence, or what follows).
As a follower of YahShua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ) and His holy written Scripture, I cannot use “love of country” to excuse attitudes, words, or behaviors that don’t obey God’s word. But, I also cannot use my love of God as an excuse to ignore the law of the land. I stop at red lights, and I pay my taxes. And, if I violate the law, I pay the fine or go to traffic school.
To me, patriotism doesn’t mean I love EVERY thing my country does or every decision it makes. But it does mean I stay supportive of the country as my homeland and stay grateful for the decisions I do agree with. If I disagree with something, I can vote for change. If the subject is not on the ballot, I can enlist the help of others to put it on the ballot where my vote can be counted. Violating the laws of the land, like blocking public roads, is neither patriotic nor a good use of freedom. And if consequences follow that don’t feel good, well, that’s what happens. I mean, I absolutely hate the taking of innocent lives via abortion, but I would never bomb one of the clinics that performs them. Why? Because another thing I learned as a child was that two wrongs don’t make a right.
So, yes, I am patriotic, and I’m still grateful to be an American. Years ago, I shocked some people when I went to hear Bill Clinton speak even though he was not my chosen candidate. But I wasn’t going to hear the man, I was going to hear “The President of The United States.” I respect the office and the authority regardless of who occupies the position. Sadly, it wasn’t long after that when I attended some school events for nephews and nieces and saw teachers refuse to place their hands over their hearts in respect for the flag, or our nation’s National Anthem. It was only a matter of time before students stopped learning how to respect the authority of any position from the highest position in the land to the lowest.
That change in respect was shortly before the first major school shooting incident that seemed to set up a pattern of many others. And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that disrespect of law and authority, and a lack of value for human life, created that subset of attitudes. I would caution parents and teachers about repeating negative media tropes about The President or our law enforcement to children who can sponge it up and turn it into a bigger monster than anyone wants to deal with. Maybe the little parody my mom used to sing to the tune of the Pepsodent toothpaste jingle isn’t sung anymore, but those words (“You’ll wonder where your father went if he talks against The President”) were a lesson in respect that I think we could all use again.
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Hart and Sole
I’ll admit it, I’m a word nerd. And since we’re still in heart month, I’ll go so far as to say, “I love words.” My mom had creative ways of dealing with boredom when my sister and I were kids, and one of those ways was to have a competition between the 3 of us to see who could come up with the most homophones.
In case you’re not familiar with it, here’s the definition of homophone from Merriam Webster: Homophones are words that sound the same but are different in meaning or spelling (such as sea and see). View the full article about homophones vs homonyms vs homographs at https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/homophones-vs-homographs-vs-homonyms
You’ve probably figured out that I won a lot of those competitions. But I’m glad we had them because I am clear about differences between the use of two, too, and to; there, their, and they’re; and about 300 more sets of sound-alike words. It’s too bad that most spell-check programs don’t know those differences because word nerds like me see those misuses like glaring red noses on Santa’s favorite reindeer. Though the one that gets me most isn’t even a homophone; it’s loose (as in loose change) being used for lose (as in don’t lose the money). I understand English can be hard, though, because most words with that “ooze” sound have 2 O’s. But here’s a sentence that will really mess with your “spell it like it sounds” lessons: “If you choose to snooze, your boss could blow a fuse, you could lose your job, and you won’t be able to go on the company cruise.” 🤯🙃
The picture I had Wombo Dream make for today is using hart (another name for a deer) and sole (fish) in place of the idiom “heart and soul.” I decided to put the 2 critters under a heart-shaped moon to keep with my February theme. And then I added a fantasy frame in my Photo Studio Pro app. Here’s the other one I made with Bing image creator added to the same frame, but I forgot to ask for the heart element…
I’ll close this fun subject out with a quick list of homophones that start with the letter “H” as in hart and “S” as in sole:
Ha, Haw
Hail, Hale
Hair, Hare
Hall, Haul
Halve, Have
Hart, Heart
Haughty, Hottie
Hawk, Hock
Hay, Hey
Hays, Haze
Hear, Here
Heard, Herd
Hecks, Hex
He’d, Heed
He’ll, Heal, Heel
Hem, Him, Hymn
Hence, Hints
Heroin, Heroine
Hertz, Hurts
Hew, Hue
Hi, Hie, High
Hic, Hick
Hide, Hied
Higher, Hire
Ho, Hoe
Hoarse, Horse
Hoes, Hose
Hold, Holed
Hole, Whole
Hour, Our
Sachet, Sashay
Sacks, Sax
Sail, Sale
Scene, Seen
Seam, Seem
Send, Sinned
Serge, Surge
Sew, So, Sow
Sewer, Suer
Sewn, Sown
Shear, Sheer
Shew, Shoe, Shoo
Sic, Sick
Sicks, Six
Side, Sighed
Sign, Sine
Sink, Sync
Skee, Ski
Slaughter, Slotter
Slay, Sleigh
Sleight, Slight
Soar, Sore
Sold, Soled
Sole, Soul
Some, Sum
Son, Sun
Sordid, Sorted
Sot, Sought
Spade, Spayed
Staid, Stayed
Stair, Stare
Stake, Steak
Stalk, Stock
Steal, Steel
Stile, Style
Straight, Strait
Suede, Swayed
Suet, Sweat
Suite, Sweet
Note: I’ve never tried columns in WordPress before, and I’m not really sure it worked. I see 2 columns in the draft but not on the preview. I think my classic theme isn’t accepting the blocks, but maybe readers see them. I’m still learning, though. Thanks for understanding.
Anyway, drop me a comment with some of your favorite words or your pet peeves about the misuse of words. And save these lists for your own memory banks for the next time you play any word games. I can attach the full homophone list by request.
P.S. I do not want to ignore the greatest of all words, that is YahShua (Jesus), The Word Made Flesh who wants each of us to know Him better. So here are a few Scripture verses about The King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and Word of Words…
Romans 10:17 WEBUS
[17] So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
https://bible.com/bible/206/rom.10.17.WEBUS
Psalms 119:105 WEBUS
[105] Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.
https://bible.com/bible/206/psa.119.105.WEBUS
Revelation 19:12-13 WEBUS
[12] His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but he himself. [13] He is clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood. His name is called “The Word of God.”
https://bible.com/bible/206/rev.19.12-13.WEBUS
John 1:1, 14 KJV
[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
[14] And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.1.1-14.KJV
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A Valentine’s Day Haiku
Happy St. Valentine’s Day! Oh, you didn’t know this day was named for a real guy who existed in 3rd-century Rome. Read more at the Británica website to find out about this patron saint of lovers, people with epilepsy, and beekeepers.
Our local Christian writers group meets monthly to equip and encourage our members to keep writing for The Lord. This month, our meeting fell right on Valentine’s Day, so we decided to celebrate with yummy treats and a fun writing exercise. We taped our homemade conversation hearts to the white board and challenged members to use as many of the words as possible. We had a nice variety of stories, poetry, and even a wonderful devotion. I love what people can do with the gift of creativity God has given us. Me, I chose haiku, so here’s my use of the 18 given words…
What's the greatest love?
What example does it set?
Where do we find it?
Love could be candy.
Wrapped in a chocolate hug,
With a rose on top.
I got one of those.
From my sweetheart; my husband,
But it was cookies.
Instead of a rose,
It was a red carnation.
It brought me such joy.
His love touched my heart,
Even without poetry,
He showed affection.
And I adore him.
My admiration of him,
Will last forever.
That and three more days,
Because his love is a gift,
Always mine to keep.
Our first time to speak,
Was a February call,
From a long distance.
Only recently,
Did he show his devotion,
With some jewelry.
A red garnet ring,
That I love to wear daily.
And show to others,
But I don't need it,
Or even some fancy doves,
To know he loves me.
Now it’s your turn. If you are a writer, I challenge you to create your own creative piece using the 18 given words in the above image. And, if you put them on your own blog or social media page, please leave a comment and let me know where to go read it. In the meantime, maybe I’ll work on the blog I set up years ago for the group and try to get some of their pieces shared on it. I’ll update this post with a link when I get some new content there.
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13 Hearts at the Supper Table
A busy day zoomed right past without me remembering that it was Friday the 13th. I remembered yesterday when I was making plans for the day, and I remembered when the day was almost done, but nothing in between. And the day was normal with regular highs and lows and ups and downs, a little stress with trying to organize messes I’ve been making for years, etc. But, there’s nothing I can tell you about that I could blame specifically on the calendar.
What I can tell you is that how Friday the 13th affects most people likely has to do with which person at “The Last Supper” (aka Passover) gets the most mental attention. If we focus on the guy who was willing to sell out the salvation of all humanity for 30 pieces of silver, we may view the ugly 13th heart, and its darkness can overwhelm us. But if we focus on the 13th heart at the head of the table, The One who was a true friend soon to lay down His own life for the rest of us, we see the most beautiful heart ever to exist. “Looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2a KJV), we can look at the number 13 (and maybe the day when it comes around) as much brighter.
Of course, any superstition is just another word for fear, so it’s best to see any Friday the 13th as just a Friday that happens to fall on the 13th day of the month, or vice versa. And the same goes for Monday the 13th (unless you’re Garfield the cat being attacked by a lasagna 😁).
I’ve said it before, but it is worth repeating:
FEAR stands for….
“False Evidence Appearing Real”
but FAITH says….
“Forsaking All I Trust Him.”
And just because we’re on the subject of 13, I have to add the fact that 1 Corinthians 13:13 says,
“But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.” (WEBUS)
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When God Plans a Meet Cute
We can’t see the picture God is working on above because our view is only of all the messy strings below. Corrie Ten Boom often spoke this thought from a beautiful poem written by Grant Colfax Tuller (1869-1950). I’ll add the poem, called The Weaver, at the end. But for now, I want to tell you about one of my strings and why I celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 12th every year.
In the winter of 1990, the photography studio I traveled with had me in Wisconsin during an arctic cold I’ll never forget. 30+ below zero with wind chills that brought that down to 80 below. Yikes! When I got back to Arizona for Christmas, I was ready to quit the road job and stay where it was much warmer. Alas, they called me at the end of January and said they needed an emergency rep on a red eye to Massachusetts because two other proof consultants had walked off the job. So, with no sleep, I headed to Las Vegas to grab a flight. I didn’t know I was flying to a destiny far different than what I had envisioned for my life.
I was alone at first, but then Linda arrived. We clicked right away and each saw the Spirit of God in the other. Within hours, she told me about a Christian man she knew who was 34 years old and had never been married. Her words: You two would be perfect for each other.
On February 12th, she called him from her room and then put me on the phone with him. We ended up talking for 2 hours, and he grabbed my heart by saying, “I’ll be honest. I’m looking for a serious relationship. But if that doesn’t happen between us, I want to stay friends because I already like you a lot.” Was that the bait or the hook? Lol! 🪝
I was living in the clouds for the next two days excited about when we would talk again. This time, I called him from my room, and it was an even longer conversation. But it started out with my telling him Happy Valentine’s Day since it was the 14th. His response was the reel that wound me into his life for 35+ years now. He said, “No, MY Valentine’s Day was two days ago.” Hook set, no wiggling off of that line for me.
So, today was our 36th Valentine’s Day on February 12th. My Kentuckiana life with my Kentucky soldier husband has been filled with real life moments that have included both blessings and trials, but the overall story has been blessings. But I’m jumping ahead, so I’ll say goodnight from here, and I hope some readers are inspired or encouraged by our meet cute from long ago. 💞
And here’s that poem I promised…
The Weaver (aka The Tapestry Poem or Life is But a Weaving)
My life is but a weaving
Between my God and me.
I cannot choose the colors
He weaveth steadily.
Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow;
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside.
Not ’til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas
And reveal the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful
In the weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.
He knows, He loves, He cares;
Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice to Him."
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Journeys of the Heart
I had a long talk with my sister today. I love all our visits, but some are better than others, especially when we can stir up memories for each other. And memories are usually great because we know where they led us to eventually even if they were a little scary at the time.
One of the ones we talked about today was a broken down car in a precarious situation.
In Arizona, on old Highway 93, somewhere between Wickenberg and Wikieup, our old ’66 Toyota Crown Deluxe decided to die. It was the middle of the night, and it was very dark on that stretch of road. Since we had been going up hill, we knew we had to get the car turned around and coast to a place to pull over. The guys knew how to drive, and my sister and I did not, but the guys needed to do the pushing. So, I was behind the wheel trying to steer and got us part way, sideways, blocking one lane completely when…
Here comes a semi truck headed down the hill and straight for the lane the car was in. I panicked so hard that I had trouble finding the door handle to get out of there. The others were already crouched at the side of the road when I got to them and just started praying. Of the 4 of us, I was a new Christian, and the other 3 were not big believers at the time. We were all fully aware that if the truck hit the car, we’d likely be blown down the steep ravine behind us. Worse, the truck could not move over to the other lane because a station wagon was now ascending the hill in the lane we’d just pulled our car out of. Even prayer didn’t seem like enough of a solution for the certain tragedy just moments away.
Since I’m writing this now, you know something changed, and that’s what my sister and I were talking about. At that moment, and even up to now, what happened is both a blur and a mystery. One minute, a semi was barreling toward our car as a station wagon blocked the only way it could have gotten around us. In the next moment, the semi was heading down the hill on the other side of the Toyota, and the station wagon was continuing up the hill untouched, unfazed, and just fine. We scrambled back to the car to finish pulling it around and getting it coasted into an emergency lane down the hill before we had time to talk to each other about what we saw. Did our car disappear for a moment, we wondered? Did the truck and the station wagon pass through each other? Did time just fast forward? Not one of us can tell you what actually happened in that moment, but we can tell you that God certainly did something miraculous, saved multiple vehicles, and spared multiple lives. I still wonder what the truck driver saw.
Now, remember, this is well before the days of cellphones or even car phones. I don’t think I even had a CB radio in that car. So we tried to sleep and planned to flag someone down for help the next day. My sister’s husband started out walking in the summer heat hoping a different location along the road might find a more willing helper. The rest of us just stayed by the car worrying. But you know what? In less than probably half an hour, here comes my brother-in-law riding in the passenger seat of a tow truck. As soon as it stopped and he got out, we asked, “Where did you find a tow truck?” “In, Nothing,” he answered.
Huh? Nothing? What could he have meant by that? He meant exactly what he said. Our car had apparently died about a half a mile from the little tourist stop called Nothing, Arizona. They had a gas pump, a tow truck, a little store, and a population of 4. And, amazingly, they were there and available that day. And now, it’s a population of zero and a total ghost town, but you can read the history of it on Wikipedia. And here’s a picture of my hubby and nephew in front of the little store years later but before it became abandoned…
That’s only one of many heart journeys that brought me to, and through, amazing circumstances. But I think that’s one of my favorites simply because it leaves no room to do anything other than trust The Lord. Normally, I want all the answers, and I want to be able to fix things, but in this story, I am content to trust that God did something big and beyond explanation. I want to think it was for me or for others with me, but it could’ve been for the truck or car driver who had other assignments they hadn’t finished on this earth. Whatever God’s reasoning, even the picture above wouldn’t have been possible if we’d all been injured or killed that night. And in this, I will continue my journey while remembering the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 46:10a, “Be still and know that I am God.”
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Heart of Grass
It started snowing late on Sunday the 25th of January. And then the temps dropped, so by the time the entire 10-12 inches had dropped, it was trying to become a seasonal fixture. Single-digit and below zero temperatures stayed around for almost 2 weeks, and then today arrived. 16 days after the big storm, I finally saw grass in my yard again!
Yesterday, it warmed up enough for me to get outside and soak up some sunshine, but the yard was still almost completely white. It was so nice today, though to be greeted by the green stuff that had been hiding beneath the white blanket. My mind went straight to parody mode and thought of the title.
My next stop was to my Wombo Dream app to make some images to go with the title. Here are the prompt words I used…
Create a heart made of green grass in a field of multicolor grasses, pastoral scene, HDR, amazing atmosphere, beautiful scene, melting snow at the edges of the field, bright sunlight illuminates the scene
I tried a variety of filters and had some cool results. My favorites are usually abstracts, but the literal heart of glass seemed like the best intro picture, especially once I added a frame from the Photo Studio Pro app. (You can find that one at the Google Play Store by clicking on the name of the app). I also used that app to make a collage of all the different designs I created so readers can see a bit of my process. Here’s the collage…
So here’s hoping some green grass and sunshine, plus a whole lot more steps than usual, will actually be good for my heart. I know it was good for my spirit because I feel better than I’ve felt in the last 2 weeks.
While we were out, we grabbed dinner at one of my favorite places, so here’s a quick shout out to an excellent waiter at Texas Roadhouse just in case he stops by my blog. Michael, you were super friendly and did an excellent job tonight. I hope you find some fun reading here, enjoy some cool images, and later enjoy some great tea with your girlfriend. I really think the variety box from “Taylor’s of Harrogate” has some of the best teas, so (for Michael and all other readers here) click the title to find them at Amazon (affiliate link for tracking). My favorites are the Sour Cherry and Rose Lemonade, but all 8 flavors are delicious.
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Heart Quake
(CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
February 9th, 1969, a little girl’s heart was broken when her daddy climbed out of a window and left her and her sister and their mother in the middle of the night. My memories of that time are a little foggy because I was so young, but I think it was the days after that I recall even more. The song “Daddy’s Home” played on the radio about the same time every evening, and I remember always waiting at the living room window to hear my dad pull up in his loud, rumbling car. Maybe the song only played at exactly the same time once, but it feels like every time because of how the memory is cemented into my mind.
Fast forward to February 9th, 1971, at 6:01 AM Pacific Standard Time. Our new apartment was in Sylmar, California, and just blocks from the San Fernando fault line. The earthquake registered 6.6 on the Richter Scale, and the shaking woke me up when it knocked a chest of drawers over and slammed it into our bedroom floor. I jumped down from my top bunk and ran to the kitchen yelling, “Mommy, Mommy, there’s a monster shaking the house!” Hmm, maybe my mom and step dad babysat us with a few too many Godzilla movies. 😁 Anyway, she told me it was an earthquake and that I should pray. Then she ran barefooted across broken dishes to get my sister out of her bed and put both of us in her room under lots of blankets. It was one of her most motherly moments.
Through the years, there have been other events on February 9th that seemed to make me wary of the day every year. Not every year, of course, but enough to keep me a bit on edge at this time each year. Today, though, it was the exact opposite. First, I was able to get outside in the sunshine for the first time in 2 weeks. Then I got some time to visit with my sister over the phone. And, best of all, I got news from my friend that her husband’s cancer was only on the tongue and not in the throat as they suspected, and the doctor even came out of surgery smiling. So, this year flipped the script and brought some really good events to this date.
The heart can quake or shake for a million reasons, and often those quakes leave cracks that don’t go away easily. But those who follow and serve The Lord know how the Balm of Gilead (a healing medicine) can calm the shaking and even repair some cracks. Jesus, not only our Healer but also our Comforter says this in John 14:15-18 KJV…
[15] If ye love me, keep my commandments. [16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [17] even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. [18] I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.14.15-18.KJV
As we continue through this heart and love month, remember that there is a God who is not “somewhere OUT THERE” but is actually near to us whenever we seek Him. He desires to share His love with us so much that He provided His own blood to cleanse us, so we could come boldly into His presence to get what we need. If you are a reader who has never received salvation, just speak out to Him with a pure heart and tell Him you want to try things His way because you’ve heard it can be much better. Tell Him the truth about everything, and then bring Him your brokenness. Watch Him work and bring you love beyond words and peace beyond understanding. 🛐🕊️☦️
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What is Your Treasure?
In this heart health month, it’s also a great time to check up on the health of your spiritual heart since it spills over into your physical heart and life. “Doctor Jesus” gives us the perfect prescription for great heart health.
Matthew 6:19-21 WEBUS
[19] “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; [20] but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; [21] for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
https://bible.com/bible/206/mat.6.19-21.WEBUS
And since it is also National Haiku Writing Month (NaHaiWriMo), here’s a set of haiku verses I put together for this occasion.
Treasure Hunter
Where your treasure is...
Your heart will oversee it,
And protect it well.
Because your heart knows...
The value of your treasures,
Though no one else sees.
It will keep your dreams,
And remind you of them...
Just when you need hope.
So be careful then,
To treasure things with value,
Fill your heart with God.
And that’s it for this one. I’d love to see some haiku from readers in the comment box.
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Ice Cream for Breakfast?
I used to faithfully visit those sites with lists of everything a day had to offer from international days to world days to local celebrations. I still like to quench my curiosity with these things now and again, and I chose today to do some research. The first thing that came up was “National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day.” Apparently, it’s always the first Saturday in February, and it started in the 1960s to cheer up kids with winter blahs. I’ve never tried “snow cream” but I imagine kids might like that even better since it would include some play time. Maybe the parents who started it also knew it was “Fettuccini Alfredo” day, so the kids would have a warm, not-so-sweet dinner later. 🍨🍜
In other February 7th events, 1990 brought a dissolution of the Soviet Union when the “Central Committee of the Soviet Communist Party” agreed to give up its monopoly on power. And I had to share that one because of the word Monopoly. This day in 1935 was the early release date of the Parker Brothers Monopoly game. Though I always believed the story about the out-of-work engineer creating the game for his family during the great depression, I’ve learned tonight that it was actually invented a lot earlier by a woman. It was called The Landlord’s Game and it was based in “Georgism” which was apparently the opposite of what the current game came to represent.
If you read from the older events to the newer ones, you can see how much mankind has learned as time has moved forward. When the New Madrid earthquake hit in 1812 and made the Mississippi River run backward, many probably thought it was the end of the world. Fast forward beyond the Beatles beginning the “British Invasion” in 1964, and the first untethered space walk in 1984 to scientists in 2014 announcing that the Happisburgh Footprints in Norfolk, England are 800,000 years old and we’re in an era where that backward river flow now has a name. It’s called a “fluvial tsunami.” There, now you’ve learned something new for your day.
But, now I have to ask, can we really declare something to be 800,000 years old? Or millions or billions of years old? Isn’t all of that just supposition based on limited knowledge and dating techniques used by people who were never there? Even recorded history may be “his story” or “her story” and not totally factual, so how much more suspect is that which has never been written down from eyewitness testimony? The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 3:7 that men are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
God tells Daniel in chapter 12 and verse 4 that the truths he is hiding away are meant for a time when people will run all over (to and fro) looking for knowledge. The big question here is whether they are seeking knowledge to find ways to connect with God or to try and disprove Him. But, if they are trying to connect with Him, he’s made it far simpler (though not always easier) to just seek Him directly. He promises wisdom (much more important than simple knowledge) to anyone who asks Him for it without doubting.
James 1:5-8 WEBUS
[5] But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. [6] But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. [7] For that man shouldn’t think that he will receive anything from the Lord. [8] He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
https://bible.com/bible/206/jas.1.5-8.WEBUS
So whether you have fettuccini Alfredo for dinner or ice cream for breakfast, never forget that the most important day in history is the one where the precious blood of YahShua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ) was shed so you could spend eternity in the Presence of The Holy Father, Yahveh Almighty. That is the best of all knowledge and wisdom combined.
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My Thornbush has Roses
Many years ago, I heard someone say, “We can complain that our rose bush has thorns, or we can rejoice that our thorn bush has roses.” I didn’t know at the time that it was a lesson in the art of reframing similar to making lemonade out of life’s lemons. Somehow, I’ve always thought in these terms. Maybe it was a natural development of survival, or maybe I learned it from watching the movie Pollyanna when I was young.
Thorn bushes, to me, are the basic troubles and trials in this life that are part of living in a fallen world. For Adam and Eve, the thorns and thistles were outside the garden and not part of their life until after the fall. Then, all kinds of troubles they were not supposed to deal with became life companions. Death and sickness are probably some of the worst thorns they dealt with and that we still deal with in today’s world.
But we also have roses. God didn’t abandon humanity to endure only the thorns of life’s troubles, but He gave us an abundance of things like hope, joy, peace, and love to bloom right alongside the thorns. Sickness and wounds carry the hope of healing; broken relationships carry the hope of restoration; and death carries the hope of eternal life with The Lord and with those we loved in this life. But it’s not always easy to focus on the hope, no matter how wonderful the blooms. Sometimes, the thorns just hurt a little too much.
Today, I talked to a brother in Christ who has been diagnosed with cancer. I so love this brother, and his wife is like a big sister for me, and that thorn really stuck deep. My “fix-it” personality wants to have all the answers yesterday, so that neither of these 2 friends will have to endure the pain of this dreaded disease. But I’m not a doctor or scientist who can fix this, so I turned to the biggest rose on my branch of thorns: Our Creator and Father, and the ability to bring Him our thorns in prayer. I prayed before we ever hung up the phone, and I felt God’s Presence with all of us as we called out to Him with this heavy need.
Now, it’s almost bedtime, and my heart is still reaching out to The God of Healing and Comfort. I seek His peace and strength for my friends, and for myself and my husband. We’ve been through it ourselves when my husband got his diagnosis, and I’m thankful for the dialysis that is now keeping him alive while we wait to see if God has other miracles planned for us. We got a big one when the growth beyond the kidney that showed up on imaging was no longer there when the doctor went in for surgery. When he removed the kidney, all the cancer went with it, and he was shocked. He told me he looked and looked but could find no more cancer. I was so overwhelmed just knowing my husband survived that I didn’t even realize the answer to prayer and to the doctor’s statement before surgery that he’d like to see a miracle. But I know now. I know I serve a God who can and will do miracles, and I’m still looking for more of them to show up on my thorn bush. I welcome prayers from readers as well.
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God Loves To Repair Broken Pieces
I have a statement in a few of my bios about how I like kaleidoscopes because I feel like they represent how God sees His creations; they are all beautiful when light, especially God’s Light, shines through them. God is the Master of repairing broken things, and He’s uniquely able to repair broken hearts like no one else can.
The image I made tonight is a representation of a Japanese art form called “Kintsugi.” The article on Wikipedia doesn’t have a lot of images, so do a search to see some amazing transformations, but the link with the word goes to Japan Daily, so it’s got history and images. It’s a Japanese art form of repair done with real gold showing through the cracks and making the restored object more valuable than the original when it was unbroken.
Now, imagine something with even more value than gold (God’s touch) filling the broken places in human hearts and what the value becomes with God’s Holy Spirit making us whole. This clip from the movie Joshua with Tony Goldwyn demonstrates it beautifully and still makes me cry.
If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s old but I highly recommend it. And on the subject of recommendations, I also recommend a wonderful story about a broken woman and her battle to repair herself before letting God do the mending. It’s in the book “The Story of With” by Allen Arnold. The tag line might make you think it’s only a book for creative people, but it’s an amazing and life-changing story that combines a Bible study with a fictional allegory. My sister, who’s not much of a reader, finished it in 2 days and said every Christian should read it. My affiliate link (for tracking) is https://amzn.to/4agQfqu and I’d love to hear comments from those who read it. Also, here’s a video review from someone who read it…
And, finally, just because it sums up the story of someone who loves to see brokenness repaired, here’s a video of Guy Penrod singing The Talley’s song, “She Loves the Broken Ones”…
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Love is…
Crystal A Murray (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Never having to say your sorry?
Do you remember the popular saying which grew from the tag line to the Love Story movie? For me, this was playing out in a chaotic part of life complete with teenage angst. I’m not sure any teen likes to admit defeat or say sorry since they mostly feel they are always right. But something about this statement always bothered me. Apparently, I wasn’t alone.
In 1970, an Australian artist named Kim Casali was drawing adorable little characters surrounded by hearts and proclaiming many statements about what “love is…” based on her real feelings for the true love of her life. She changed the movie quote to say, “Love is… Being able to say you’re sorry.” I agree, and I was fascinated by her story and the baby she had by her husband 17 months after his death. Read it on Wikipedia if you want to know more.
Because love is far more than a few words, or even a world full of books, there’s no way to put all of what love is into a single blog post. I can tell you that in the parts of speech, love can be a noun, a verb (that definition became a book series), or an adjective as in love language (which also became at least one book), but it’s so much more than speech. I can tell you about what love is in my own life, but that would take far more than one story. So, I decided to ask Gemini for 10 examples of what “love is” from Bible Scripture. Here are the statements it came up with along with Scripture references. I added links to the Bible.com site (or app if you have it) from the World English Bible (WEB US)….
* Love is patient and kind. It doesn’t rush to judgment and responds to harshness with gentleness. (1 Corinthians 13:4)
* Love is sacrificial. It is defined by the willingness to lay down one’s own life or interests for the sake of another. (John 15:13)
* Love is an action, not just a feeling. It is expressed through “deed and truth” rather than just words or speech. (1 John 3:18)
* Love is the fulfillment of the law. When we love our neighbors as ourselves, we naturally uphold all other moral commands. (Romans 13:10)
* Love is the “perfect bond of unity.” It acts as the glue that holds a community or relationship together in harmony. (Colossians 3:14)
* Love is the evidence of knowing God. Because “God is love,” those who truly know Him will reflect His character by loving others. (1 John 4:7–8)
* Love is not self-seeking. It does not insist on its own way or demand its own rights above the needs of others. (1 Corinthians 13:5)
* Love is a choice to forgive. It does not keep a “record of wrongs” but chooses to move forward in grace. (1 Corinthians 13:5)
* Love is courageous. It casts out fear, allowing us to be vulnerable and honest without the dread of punishment. (1 John 4:18)
* Love is eternal. While other gifts and seasons pass away, the value and impact of love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13:8)
My challenge to you readers is to come up with your own, personalized, list of what love is. You might say something like, “Love is my husband making me the perfect scrambled egg breakfast with green peppers, tomato, onion, and goat cheese.” Yes, my hubby really does that, and I taste the love he thinks he’s adding without my seeing it. 😁 Put your list on pretty paper to remind yourself of the love you hold on the days when it’s hard to remember. And never forget that God’s Holy Word is His love letter to us and that every good and perfect gift is love coming from Him.
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Wooden Hearts and Paper Roses
I love using AI image creators to make designs that appear to be either paper cut or wood cut. I do not have the talent or patience to do those crafts in real life, but I’ve seen them up close, and the detail is no comparison to the imitation. Still, I’m thankful for this form of media that allows my imagination to soar–even if it’s on artificial wings.
But as we look at all the abilities of AI, we’re faced with the fact that people can use these tools to create imitations of things they want others to see as real. Deep fake videos have made the subjects wonder how the creators got the detail so perfect that the subject felt as if they were looking into a mirror. Of course motivation is the real behind-the-scenes catalyst that determines if the project is just fun or truly nefarious.
Well before AI and computers, and even before the invention of plastic, real love was being imitated to all sorts of audiences for all sorts of reasons. Usually, the motivations were manipulation. Like Samson and Delilah, someone acts like they love someone else in order to cause that someone else to feel trusting enough to yield to requests. Delilah’s power of manipulation was so great that after she’d proven more than once that she was going to sell her lover out, he showed back up on her doorstep until the one confession too many that cost him his eyesight, his freedom, and eventually his life.
No one really likes the fake stuff, and even less when it’s fake love. My title combines two song titles decrying fake love, or real love coming to an end. Elvis said he didn’t have a wooden heart, so he would feel all the pain of loss if his love interest said goodbye. Linda Ronstadt begged her fake love to take away the real flowers he’d sent her for an (apparently fake) apology and replace them with fake paper flowers to match his imitation love. And though I didn’t add a teddy bear to the design, it’s worth mentioning that Barbara Fairchild sings a lament of a failed love that made her wish she was just a stuffed teddy bear on the shelf of a toy store. By only speaking a programmed “Isn’t it a lovely day” sentiment at the pull of a string, she wouldn’t have to feel the pain of fake love or real abandonment ever again.
There are many more songs with lovers begging each other for honesty and faithfulness. People want to be loved for real, and they want to give their love without fear of it being rejected or abused. And we want those things because we are made in the image of a God who is also called “Love” and has proven He’s not fake in a zillion different ways. And what does He want in return? The same thing back. He doesn’t have a wooden heart so He feels our rejection. He doesn’t want paper roses or Sunday only attention. And, He has no desire to just be a toy waiting for someone to pull His string for a miracle or blessing. Like us, He too wants true love. And in return, He promises real, satisfying love forever.
Matthew 28:20 CSB
[20] teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
https://bible.com/bible/1713/mat.28.20.CSB
And I love the way this promise is stated in The Message Bible...
Hebrews 13:5-6 MSG
[5-6] Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote, God is there, ready to help; I’m fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me?
https://bible.com/bible/97/heb.13.5-6.MSG
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God Never Fails
If God is Love, and Love NEVER fails, then God NEVER fails. In our human condition, we doubt and fear and wonder sometimes where God is and when we’re going to hear from Him or see Him act. But the first part of 1 Corinthians 13:8 reminds us….
[8] Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with.
https://bible.com/bible/206/1co.13.8.WEBUS
Just as I did yesterday with switching words in Genesis from God to Love, now I’m going to switch the famous verses known for defining what love should be from Love (Charity in KJV) to God. You see, God knows our form and would never ask us to do anything He would not do. So….
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a CSB
[4] God is patient, God is kind. God does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, [5] is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. [6] God finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. [7] God bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. [8] God neverendsfails.
https://bible.com/bible/1713/1co.13.4-8.CSB
Line by line, we can see God’s personality in these behaviors Paul encouraged the Corinthian believers to follow. From the garden until the end of time as we know it, and into eternity, God’s whole purpose is for us to walk with Him, side by side, obeying Him by imitating the behaviors He knows will bring blessings.
When we are patient (a fruit of The Spirit, so we get it directly from God), we bring peace to our lives and even our bodies. This message is to me as much as anyone because age seems to be making that harder for me. Maybe partly because of the many things there are to become impatient or irritable with these days (like AI customer service that won’t connect you to a living human). But I know I don’t like the way I feel when I get impatient, even if I have a good reason for it.
When we are kind, we can see God in our behaviors and note how it changes people. I try to make a habit of calling managers to compliment good service because I know they are overwhelmed with complaints. Years ago, I watched a manager lumber out to my vehicle at a Sonic when his employee sent him at our request. I could tell he was bracing for the worst. After sharing my gratefulness for the attentive and friendly server we had, it literally looked like he was a foot taller as he walked back to the restaurant standing up straight and smiling with confidence. The image is forever etched in my memory as an encouragement to bring that type of kindness whenever I can.
When we refuse to envy or be jealous or rude, we stop adding to the stress and chaos of a world with too many trying to survive without God and His attributes.
When we are careful not to be boastful or arrogant, we leave room for God to shine instead of us. We know that pride goes before destruction, and a stuck up (haughty) attitude before a fall, so we save ourselves from those disasters as well. Remember the letters in EGO can stand for “Edging God Out.”
On the “not self-seeking” line, I found a lot of different wording, including that love does not seek its own way. When I switched that one to God, I was like, “Wait a minute. God does seek His own way and His will because He sees the future and knows what’s right.” So, in His case, seeking His way is not a bad thing. But also, being self-seeking is more like ONLY thinking of yourself. We all know people who don’t seem able to see how their behaviors affect others but can always see how others affect them. Without natural empathy, those are the ones whose love (Godliness) is turning cold as a result of sin.
When King David thought about God’s choice to not hold his record of sins against him, he said that God had separated his (and our) sins as far as the East is separated from the West. Real love covers a multitude of sins. It may seem like a “get out of jail free” card, but it’s definitely not a “keep on doing what got you into bondage in the first place” license. Just like we want people to be grateful enough for our forgiveness to not harm us again, God wants us to be grateful enough to keep ourselves free from the sinful entanglements He broke away from us. And all this is because God finds no joy in unrighteousness but He does rejoice in truth because truth sets us free. Let’s make God smile today.
Finally, God bears, believes, hopes, and endures because He sees a future we cannot even imagine. His Word says it hasn’t even entered into our hearts what He has prepared, but it also says He has hidden eternity in our hearts. He promised Israel that He had plans for their hope and a future. Through the blood of YahShua, we have become Abraham’s seed and heir to those great and precious promises. God (Love) NEVER fails.
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Love Created the Heavens and….
1 John 4:16 WEBUS
[16] We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.
https://bible.com/bible/206/1jn.4.16.WEBUS
For the month of February, I’m going to take a hint from Hallmark and do my own version of Love-uary with the focus on God’s love. To start it out right, I thought it would be interesting to see how some of the items in the first chapter of Genesis read when we substitute the word love wherever it normally has the word God. I think the message is deep and soul-stirring.
So here is Genesis 1:1-2, 4-5, 14-18, 27-28, 31 KJV with the replacements (no italics or full caps, just read it normally to catch the nuance):
[1] In the beginning Love created the heaven and the earth. [2] And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of Love moved upon the face of the waters.
[4] And Love saw the light, that it was good: and Love divided the light from the darkness. [5] And Love called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
[14] And Love said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: [15] and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. [16] And Love made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. [17] And Love set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, [18] and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and Love saw that it was good.
[27] So Love created man in his own image, in the image of Love created he him; male and female created he them. [28] And Love blessed them, and Love said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
[31] And Love saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
https://bible.com/bible/1/gen.1.1-31.KJV
So what do you think, readers? I really like the statements like “Love created man in His image” and “Love saw that it was good.”
Because God is Love, whenever we read anything about God, love is the descriptor even when we do not understand. And whenever we talk about love, it should be in ways that represent God fully and completely. All love is not love, as the commercial campaign once said. A mother’s love due a child is different than a friend’s love for a friend, and both are different than romantic love between a man and woman. Some forms of love are not love at all but merely mankind’s desire for how he thinks love should be defined, like a child who says a parent who won’t let them do whatever they want doesn’t love them. But true love can always be defined as God and, far more than a feeling, true love is powerful enough to design and create a universe and everything in it. Do you know LOVE?
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