Jelly Bean Sisters
I think this knitted filter in Wombo is one of the coolest—or at least the most fun—filter I’ve used. With a few trials of different filters, one image was the winner until I looked more closely and noticed the wacky steering wheel in the car. I tried covering it up with the frame, and maybe you wouldn’t even notice unless it’s pointed out, but it was an excuse to put up the adorable knitted girls. But here, you can see for yourselves…
But, hey, why am I using this picture at all? You’ve got to be wondering at least a little, right? Simple: April 22nd is National Jelly Bean Day. While everyone else is busy talking about the earth, I was enjoying a memory of a day with my little sister; a fun day before stress manipulation words like “global warming” were even in our vocabulary. We were grown-up women, but we still knew how to be silly and make each other laugh.
I don’t even remember why we were in the car in the grocery store parking lot that day. Were we waiting for someone? Waiting for an appointment? Or just sampling some of the gourmet jelly beans we had just purchased? (Yes, those gourmet jelly beans! Yay for Jelly Belly®.) Whatever the reason for our being there, we were using our time to read the recipe card that comes with the jelly beans. Some of the tastes are wonderful, but some… Yikes! Let’s just say that if one of us made a face or a spitting sound from something we didn’t like, the other one started laughing about it.
And that’s where it starts. Something makes one of us laugh. 😂 Then, the sound of that laugh makes the other one of us laugh. 😂 And that sound affects the other one until we’re both totally doubled over with laughter until we’re crying. It’s an out-of-control moment that relieves stress and cements sisterly bonds. 🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣
Living miles apart means we don’t get those days as often anymore, but I’ve smiled through almost every word of this blog post because it’s such a wonderful memory for me. And, no, buttered popcorn jelly beans are not bad, but it is a weird sensation to taste butter and salt but be chewing something gooey at the same time. If you can eat sugar, go get yourself a mixed set with a recipe card and go crazy with experimenting. I wish I could still do that, but since I can’t, at least I have an excuse not to try those new game flavors like vomit and dirty socks. 🤢
Just a couple reminders from God’s Holy Word…
Psalm 126:2 BSB
[2] Then our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with shouts of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
https://bible.com/bible/3034/psa.126.2.BSB
Genesis 21:6 BSB
[6] Then Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears of this will laugh with me.”
https://bible.com/bible/3034/gen.21.6.BSB
Ecclesiastes 9:7 BSB
[7] Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine* with a cheerful heart, for God has already approved your works:
https://bible.com/bible/3034/ecc.9.7.BSB
*Note: Jelly Belly® even made some wine/champagne flavors, but I'm not sure what is available now. Here is a list of (possibly) all their flavors, including retired ones, at the Fandom website: https://jellybelly.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Flavors
And now that you know joy and laughter are found in Scripture, here’s two more about pleasant taste…
Psalm 34:8 BSB
[8] Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
https://bible.com/bible/3034/psa.34.8.BSB
Psalm 119:103 BSB
[103] How sweet are Your words to my taste— sweeter than honey in my mouth!
https://bible.com/bible/3034/psa.119.103.BSB
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🎵 Holy, Pure, and Undefiled (Full Song)🎶
It’s done, and I’m excited to share it with my readers. This is the finished song with 3 verses added to the chorus I shared on the post April 18th. I’m not sure what was harder, writing the lyrics, getting a sound I like from Gemini (Lyria model), or getting this uploaded to YouTube so I could embed it here. Though difficult and time-consuming, I actually enjoyed the process, and now I’m excited to try a bunch more of my poetry set to music. What a fun way to write for the joy of The Lord, and then to make a joyful noise.
1 John 1:4 BSB
[4] We write these things so that our joy may be complete.
https://bible.com/bible/3034/1jn.1.4.BSB
Psalm 100:1-2 BSB
[1] A Psalm of thanksgiving. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. [2] Serve the Lord with gladness; come into His presence with joyful songs.
https://bible.com/bible/3034/psa.100.1-2.BSB
I won’t bore you with a ton of details, but there have been some great lessons learned. Part of the learning felt like being in the music studio redoing tracks until they didn’t have any more hiccups. I heard Elvis was famous for doing that hundreds of times. And Marty Robbins was able to go into the studio and sing a song to perfection at the first take. (I’m sure you know who Elvis was, but if you’re not familiar with Marty, look up his album called Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs for some you might find familiar like “El Paso” and “Cool Water.” Or you might remember him for “A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation.”)
And that was a fun rabbit trail. Lol 🤣 Anyway, to get the recording with which I was finally happy, it took coming back after I ran out of credits, and it took using multiple AI models. The Pro model didn’t want to help once it saw religious lyrics (I’m sad for that part), but the fast model that helps with a lot of Bible queries from me said it’s just how it’s trained. So, I let the fast model create the prompt with all the right spaces and breaks and punctuation to tell the Lyria model how to sing my words. AI knows AI, so the understanding was finally there to get my song, complete with ending tags (though it could’ve done a little better on that part), and a big orchestra & choir sound. The more I’ve played it, the more I’ve liked it.
And the last piece to the puzzle was finding out that Adobe Express would listen to the video and create captions in time with the music. I had to change some font sizes and boldness within the parameters of not having Adobe premium, but I was able to get them done in a way that should help y’all sing along. So, here for its debut blog performance, please enjoy Holy, Pure, and Undefiled with Lyrics by me and all the rest by Gemini and Lyria…
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🎵 Whisper A Prayer
Recently, I did a Bible study that had a devotion for each day, and part of that devotion was a daily breath prayer. At first, I was a little concerned about the possibility of mysticism or that it was some new age idea. So, I did some research. Apparently, the idea of breath prayers goes back to at least the 1300s, and it is a way to uphold the Scripture that says to “pray without ceasing.” These prayers are short words that can be spoken with an inhale and an exhale, or in your mind in the same amount of time.
Psalms 150:6 WEBUS
[6] Let everything that has breath praise Yah! Praise Yah!
https://bible.com/bible/206/psa.150.6.WEBUS
1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 WEBUS
[16] Always rejoice. [17] Pray without ceasing.
https://bible.com/bible/206/1th.5.16-17.WEBUS
There’s a great article explaining “breath prayers” with history and examples at Christianity dot com written by Mary Oelerich-Meyer. She mentions in her article that the English word inspiration comes from the Latin word ”inspirare” which means “to breathe into.” That makes the verse that says “All Scripture is God-breathed,” have a much deeper and more powerful meaning.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 WEBUS
[16] Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, [17] that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
https://bible.com/bible/206/2ti.3.16-17.WEBUS
It’s easiest to remember breath prayers by praying Scriptures or songs. For example, inhale saying, “The Lord is my Shepherd,” and exhale with, “I shall not want.” Or, inhale with, “Thank You, Lord,” and exhale saying, “for saving my soul.” Anything that helps you whisper (breathe) a prayer in the morning, at noon, and in the evening like it says in the old hymn Whisper A Prayer. The song (one of my childhood favorites) reminds us that we can pray all the time, and God will answer all the time to “keep your heart in tune.” And we want to keep our hearts in tune because we know that Jesus may come in the morning, at noon, or in the evening.
So, I wanted a good way to remember some breath prayers for myself, and after trying different memory tricks, I decided to use the letters in my own first name as an acronym. I liked creating them so much that I wrote a bunch of prayers for others as well and now call them Breath Prayer Acronyms. And then I started putting them on pretty backgrounds to send to others who might need “inspiration.” For example, for the friend with cancer I’ve asked readers to pray for and his caregiving wife. The images I made for them are at the bottom after the video. There’s also an image I made using the letters for our writer’s group.
But first, here are the prayers for my own name without using an image background. And if you comment that you’d like me to write a breath prayer acronym for your name, I’ll gladly try. If I don’t know you, I’m not certain how it will come out since personalities and needs have ended up in all the acronyms I’ve written so far, but God could inspire me to write exactly what works for you without knowing anything about you. He does that sometimes. 🙂 Anyway, here’s mine…
C: Inhale: Create in me …
Exhale: A clean heart, Lord.
R: Inhale: Rose of Sharon, …
Exhale: May Your beauty flow through my soul.
Y: inhale: You are worthy, Lord, …
Exhale: Of all my praise.
S: Inhale: Save me, oh God, …
Exhale: For your Divine purpose.
T: Inhale: Teach me Your ways, …
Exhale: Your words and Your will.
A: Inhale: All of me, Jesus, …
Exhale: Wrap in all of You.
L: Inhale: Love is greatest …
Exhale: In who You are.
And here’s a video of Whisper A Prayer…
And here are the promised images…
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🎵The Artist and The Artisan
Have you ever wondered the difference in these two words? (Artist and Artisan?) When I did a search for the differences, I expected simple definitions, but apparently, there are a lot of people who think about this, so there were lots of sites and answers out there.
My query followed some Bible study from a Torah portion in the book of Exodus and chapter 35. It’s all about the creation and building of the wilderness tabernacle, and this portion details the gifted creators who contributed to both the beauty and the function of this place of worship. Here are a few verses from The Complete Jewish Bible...
Sh'mot (Exo) 35:31-33 CJB
[31] He has filled him with the Spirit of God — with wisdom, understanding and knowledge concerning every kind of artisanry. [32] He is a master of design in gold, silver, bronze, [33] cutting precious stones to be set, woodcarving and every other craft.
https://bible.com/bible/1275/exo.35.31-33.CJB
The basic difference is in the use of the objects designed by either artist or artisan. I am far more artist than artisan because I create for viewing enjoyment rather than utilitarian purposes. One site says an artist is a creative soul who uses both skill and imagination, and an artisan is a professional craftsman who uses their expertise to create functional objects. Another site gave a good example by comparing a cake decorator with a cake baker. So neither artist nor artisan is better, and function works well with presentation if the two work together.
For the picture above, I asked Wombo to show two children playing with blocks and have one painting and the other carving. I like how it added the intricately carved blocks for the child painter, and both of them are having fun in their individual pursuits. And I wonder if the environment around the tabernacle was like the two kiddos. God gave different people gifts based on what they should contribute to the building, and one of them was skilled at almost everything. Another one, God gave the ability to teach skills to others. All of them together created a wonderful place to meet with, and worship, The Holy Creator and Lord. What a great, and still utilitarian, purpose for creativity and wisdom.
As an FYI for you, if you read all about this building, you’ll get to those descriptions about tanned ram skins and fine leather. I haven’t done the research myself, but I once heard a message about those skins and the leather not looking very good, especially when compared to the purple, blue, scarlet, and gold on the inside of the tabernacle. The message was called “The Beauty of The Ugly” and it was all about how our greatest beauty is on the inside where the presence of God dwells. The preacher said that if people came up from the outside, they’d see these red skins and smell the burning hair and flesh from the altar, and it wouldn’t have attracted them much. Oh, but if they stayed until they could pull the flaps back and look inside… Gold and beauty like you’ve never seen!
Our Creator is both artist and artisan. He has designed beautiful things that have yet to even enter into the imaginations of mankind. If we see hard things in this life that make living on Earth, or serving The Creator, seem like that view from outside the tabernacle, we just have to wait for Him to pull back the flap to show us what’s inside. What a wonderful hope and thought to know He has so much prepared beyond anything we can even conceive—no matter how much of an artist or artisan we are. 🎨
1 Corinthians 2:9 CSB
[9] But as it is written, What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived — God has prepared these things for those who love him.
https://bible.com/bible/1713/1co.2.9.CSB
And this seems to be the perfect time to use the song “I Can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me.
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🎵 Computerized Music Studio 🎶
Can a computer really create its own music? I somehow qualified for a trial of Gemini Pro, and I’ve just learned that I can plug in some lyrics and have it create a music track and vocals. Now it’s not like in the old days of AI origins (just a couple years ago, lol 😂) where all image requests were totally distorted, but it does get a few things wrong on the vocals, and sometimes it has technical glitches. I guess it’s all part of my cyber journey. But I had some good experience and fun while working on these, and I even felt a little like I was in the studio with a band trying to get a track just right. While I’ve never truly enjoyed being on stage, I’ve always loved the studio experience.
So, back in 2013, I wrote a chorus that was part of a prayer. I wrote how I longed for God to see me as pure, holy, and undefiled. I’ve sung it to God many times because it’s where I desire to be, and where I desire to come back to when the cares of this life have distracted me. Here are the lyrics to the chorus…
Holy, pure, and undefiled,
Let my heart and my mind be...
Holy, pure and undefiled,
Lord may I be more like Thee.
The AI cannot use the tune I created myself, but since I’m more of a lyricist than a musician, I decided to let it choose the tunes for me. Now I guess I have to learn my own song. Lol 😆 Here are two 30-second videos with the lyrics set to different music tunes and styles…
When I asked Gemini (Google’s AI) to add some music for me, it wanted to know a style. I started with an anthem sound, and I love what it created.
And then I asked for the same chorus with a country sound and a male vocalist. I liked this one a lot as well.
Finally, I decided to write some verses to go with the chorus, but there were things that didn’t work in every video until I ran past my limit on generations of new songs. I guess it’s about 50 of the short ones and only 10 of the long (3-minute) ones, so I’ll have to wait until it fully resets to try it again. When it does, I’ll create a new post, and then I’ll put a link here for anyone who follows this one. I’d love to hear your thoughts, though.
Psalm 98:4 BSB
[4] Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth — let your cry ring out, and sing praises!
https://bible.com/bible/3034/psa.98.4.BSB
Find the complete song with 3 verses and new music and vocals on my post from April 22nd titled Holy, Pure, and Undefiled.
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The Preacher and The Pig
You never know what unknown history you might uncover by looking at the various sites telling why a day is special. Remember the one I found with the story of milking a cow on an airplane? And today, I could’ve used the story about the guy who delivered a 250-pound cheese ball to the White House, but then I saw something else that grabbed my curiosity. It was about a trial in the year 1521, and the trial was at “A Diet of Worms.”
Are you saying “huh?” right now? Me, too! I’ll start with the simple thing, the definition of the word diet in 1500s Europe…
From the Shun Keto website: The word diet has had different meanings throughout history. In the political context, a diet refers to a formal deliberative assembly, such as the German Imperial Diet, which was the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire.
One of those assemblies in the “Holy Roman Empire” was called A Diet of Worms and it was the assembly that tried Martin Luther in 1521. And it was on April 17th, thus it showed up in my daily history search.
Now, in case you’re wondering about the image and title for this blog, it is a reference to one of history’s most awful acts of anti-semitism. And I only learned about it when studying a book called “Holy to Yahveh” by Terrye Goldblum Seedman about 20 years ago. I was only able to find one copy at Thrift Books, but maybe by leaving a link here, it can help people find it elsewhere by seeing the cover image.
In her book, the author talks about how hard Martin Luther tried to convert Jews to Christianity as he understood it. When he failed to convert the masses, he got extremely angry and created an 8 point outline for killing them and removing all knowledge of their religious practices from the world. He called it “The Jews and Their Lies” and his suggestions for their destruction were followed by Hitler during the Holocaust. She doesn’t include all of it, but just a small part of it says…
First, to set fire to their synagogues or schools and to bury and cover with dirt whatever will not burn, so that no man will ever again see a stone or cinder of them. This is to be done in honor of our Lord and of Christendom, so that God might see that we are Christians, and do not condone or knowingly tolerate such public lying, cursing, and blaspheming of his Son and of his Christians. For whatever we tolerated in the past unknowingly and I myself was unaware of it will be pardoned by God.
Another part of his behavior she covered in the book was about how he carved an image of a pig over a door to keep the Jews out of his church. I looked for information on that to see if that’s why he was on trial, and I was shocked to see it was far worse than just a carving of a pig. It’s a detailed portrayal of Jewish men doing perverted acts with a pig. I didn’t make it large enough to see the details, but I’m shocked that anyone who calls themself a minister of God and His Holy Word would commission something so disgusting. It’s called The Judensau, and Wikipedia has a full article on the one at Wittenberg. Yes, apparently there are more than one of these. Yuck!
So, I know this is a little less positive than most of what I share on this blog, but since the date popped up in “This Day in History” searches, I’m sharing what I’ve learned. My hope is that when you see how far off one man can go, and then you look at how much influence those off-kilter thoughts can have, you’ll understand the desperate need to study God’s Word and get a solid understanding of it in your own life. Even Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, ended up building an altar to at least one false god for one of his wives.
It’s sad that humans can fail so miserably, and I’m also reading about plenty of failures on the parts of the Jews in the Bible as I read Isaiah right now. It’s not an excuse for anti-semitism, and they all paid heavy prices (like years in bondage) for their failures, but we have a God who does not desire to see any of us perish for our failures. That’s why He provides the blood of Christ to save us from our sins. Whether preachers end up riding pigs or riding circuits to get a solid gospel from God’s Word to the masses, they are still human, so I encourage you to follow the biblical instruction that, if you think you are standing, take heed lest you fall. Keep a healthy appetite for The Bible, and study to show yourself approved unto God. It’s your safest place to avoid the traps in this world.
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My Own Creative Muse
Like the character Cameo in yesterday’s story, I feel like I have the voice of a “muse” in my mind that drives me to create. Unlike Cameo, I haven’t turned away from that voice completely, though I’ve gone through dry spells. Maybe that’s why the story came to me and made me examine the relationship between our thought lives and our real lives. And if you ever battle with the still, small voice like Elijah, maybe Cameo’s journey will be enjoyable for you as well.
Though it’s not time to share more of her story yet, I want to share just a little from recent creative endeavors. The above photo is a close-up from the first good blooms on an azalea plant hubby got for me a few years ago. He did the research to find out what would make it grow, and it paid off well. I’m thrilled with the plant and with the pictures. I added a sparkly frame on this one because I knew how it would affect the images I got from Wombo Dream AI. Get ready for a barrage of pink and full instructions for any why might want to try designing images in Wombo.
So my first stop was to their browser page because they recently updated it with a new “edit” button. You can upload an image, and then tell it how you want it edited. Maybe you want the flowers in purple or the sky in green. Put your thoughts in the prompt box, and let it go to work. I told it I wanted the image in stained glass. The outputs were the same in the app as in the browser, so here are some from the app before I added the frame…
You can visit the website without downloading the app, so you can make your own fun edits at https://dream.ai/ and click on the “Start Creating” button. On the creation page, you can use my prompt (below) if you like, or create your own. When you add a prompt, you’ll notice a button that says enhance. That button will add some fancy extra prompts that are well trained into the AI. Once you have the prompt you want, it’s time to select a filter. Anything that doesn’t say “Premium” is okay to use. The latest filters are V4, and the V3 filters also work well. Once your filter is selected, you can choose generate to make your picture. It will download with a watermark if you don’t have premium, but it’s not bad and may be able to be cropped out in another program if it really bothers you. Here’s the prompt…
Turn these beautiful magenta azaleas into a stained glass window.
This is just the beginning of what you can do. You’ll notice you have image sizes to choose from in case you want to make a phone wallpaper size or a Facebook header size. And then you can look toward the bottom for the browse button where you can upload your own image. Or mine if you’ve downloaded it. That’s why I make most of my images Creative Commons. At some point, the page may ask you to create an account in order to download your images. I’m not sure if the gallery to store your images comes with every account, or only on the app, but having lost a number of gallery photos when they crashed last year, I recommend actually saving your favorites to a permanent location.
Now, because I’m a fan of abstract creations, there is a V2 filter I go to often. I’ll share the collage and prompt for that, and I hope to hear from readers that you’ve tried this for yourself and had as much fun with it as I do. The prompt (for use with the image at the top and with their enhanced additions) is…
Turn this into a beautiful stained glass window with the original magenta pink azalea and pink glitter frame colors intact. Intricate lead lines separating vibrant glass pieces, sunlight streaming through to cast colorful reflections, delicate floral motifs surrounding the azalea, subtle gradients blending pinks and purples, the window set against a softly illuminated stone wall, enhanced by shimmering highlights on the glitter frame that catch the light at different angles.
And here are the images…
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📖A Muse in Mourning
I was searching for something else when I came across an old story I’d drafted but not edited in 2013 for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writer’s Month, which has—sadly—shut down for good). I’m thinking of finishing it, so I thought I’d get some opinions and thoughts from readers here. Please comment and share your reactions and ideas to the opening page of chapter 1 for my novel A Muse in Mourning. Thanks!
She just isn’t listening anymore. I’ve tried everything: the soft whisper of an idea, the steady hum of a conversation, and finally, the shrill scream of a shout. I believe I’ve exhausted every trick a muse has to get her subject’s attention, but the signal seems dead. She can’t—or won’t—hear me anymore.
Six months ago, when her father left her mother and sister and she moved back home to help, I felt Cameo begin to pull away from me. Between busy and exhausted, her mind had no time for even a tiny jewel of creative thought. I fought for her. I am a relentless fighter. But she started turning a deaf ear to my ideas; to my voice. It wasn’t just silence either; it was a thickening of the air, like a sorrowful fog had engulfed her. Now, there is no more resonance. There is just the heavy, quiet of a room where no one speaks. What am I supposed to do when the very expression of my being has buried herself in such deep grief and sadness?
We were born into this world as a pair, an ancient spark of creativity, and a brand-new heart filled with creative potential. We are the same thing, just experienced from different sides. But now she’s letting the fire go out just to keep her mother’s mourning company. She is trying to be a good daughter, but at what cost to herself? If she refuses to listen to my voice, she will calcify. She’ll become a monument to the girl she used to be—her mind becoming an unworkable stone with no creative spark; a relic of a daughter instead of a living, breathing woman. And if she settles into that lifeless state, I flicker out.
A week ago, I couldn’t take the distance anymore. I abandoned the edges of her mind and got right in her ear. “Cameo!” I screamed, my voice breaking. “Please, just hear me.” I was crying by then, begging her to feel the pulse of the heart we share. “Write, Cameo. Just pick up a pen. Draw a stick figure. Anything to bridge the gap between us. Don’t just bury your face in the glow of that screen to escape the shadows of this house. You bought that device to build a world, not to hide from this one. Your life depends on it.”
I added the last part in a ragged whisper: “And so does mine.”
So, do you want to know more? Does the title and opening page grab you and stir your curiosity? Does the story of a caregiver being too worn out to be creative resonate with any of you?
I have so many books and stories started, and they tumble around in my mind making sure I won’t forget them. But sometimes, one pops up unexpectedly and begs me to work on it. And now I invite you to join me on the journey.
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🎵I Am The Door
I will keep this short, but I’m so happy with this image of a gentle and caring shepherd keeping watch while the sheep rest. The idea of The Shepherd being the door of the sheepfold is in Scripture in John 10. For this, I want to share from the PEV (Plain English Version) because it’s written as a missionary tool, so it adds simple explanations.
John 10:7-11 PEV
[7] so he said, “I will tell you something else. Listen to this, it’s true. I am like a gate in a sheep yard. [8-11] You know, the gate is the way for the sheep to go into the yard. Well, I am the way for people to come to God. If anybody comes to me, they will come into God’s family, and he will save them. And you know that sheep have to use the gate to go out and get grass to eat. Well just like that, people have to come to me to get whatever they need to live for God. And remember the shepherd in that picture story. Well, I am like that good shepherd that looks after his sheep properly. Some other men came before me, and they reckoned they were like shepherds, but they were liars. They were bad men, and my people didn’t listen to them, just like sheep only listen to their shepherd. Those bad people only want to steal the sheep, and kill them, and finish them up. But I am not like that. I came here to give people real life, so they can live with God for ever. You know, a good shepherd looks after his sheep properly, even if he has to die for them. Well, I am like that, I am ready to die to save my people.
https://bible.com/bible/2530/jhn.10.7-11.PEV
Though PEV, along with other translations, uses the word gate, the HCSB and Young’s Literal use door. I’m sharing that because the idea for the picture actually came from a book I read a long time ago and want to read again called “Jesus in The Present Tense: The I AM Statements of Christ” by Warren W Wiersbe. In this book, the author puts it this way…
“The sheepfold was an enclosure surrounded by a wall of rocks that was too high for the sheep to jump over. The shepherds sometimes put thorny branches on the tops of the walls to deter thieves from trying to climb over. An opening in the wall allowed the sheep to enter and exit; and at night, the shepherd lay across that opening and became the door of the sheepfold. To get into the fold, the sheep had to pass over the shepherd’s body, and to get out of the fold, they had to do the same thing. If a predator or a thief tried to enter, he had to deal with the shepherd first.”
I love this! Both for the idea that an unbeliever must encounter the true Shepherd to truly enter the sheepfold, and also for the protection the sheep are given as they live in the sheepfold. Wiersbe states it in more detail, and it’s exceptionally powerful to listen to it in audio and imagine the quiet field of rest with a strong shepherd guarding the gateway. His Presence is the security, the guidance, and the love we need as we walk through the uncertainties of this life. And if we need a Gentle Shepherd’s lap to crawl up into, He’s there for that as well.
I highly recommend the book, including the audio if you get the electronic version. And I hope the image gives you a picture of yourself as a sheep with a protective and loving Shepherd, that strong tower where you can run and be safe. And since we’re talking about a Gentle Shepherd, I will share a song I sometimes hear from my husband’s playlist called “Tender Shepherd” by Sounds Like Reign.” Even if it’s written as a lullaby, we can all use that type of peace now and then.
Tender Shepherd by Sounds Like Reign (with lyrics)
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A Way (to Play) with Words
Since I’m in a poetry vein for April, I thought I’d create a decorated word tile poem from Magnetic Poetry® and show you how I do it.
First, go visit the Magnetic Poetry® Online website at https://magneticpoetry.com/pages/play-online
Once there, you’ll click one of the boxes to choose the set of tiles you want to work with. They are just like the ones you can get for home except that you won’t drop one and lose it until you find it under the refrigerator years later. 😂 You can choose from “Original Kit,” “Poet Kit,” “Mustache Poet,” or “Nature Poet” on the front page. Once you select your kit and go to the play page, they’ve also added “Love” and “Geek” to the selections.
On that page, you’ll have a myriad of words to play with. In addition to regular words, you’ll also notice the s, ing, r, es, and other endings you may need to create the right tense of your poetic lines. You’ll notice my “you + r” to make “your” in the above image, and the combining of in and to for “into” in one line. It’s a little bit of work lining them up (in real life kits as well), but it’s part of the creative fun. Also, the pile of word tiles you see is not all that’s available. You’ll see a button to add more words at the bottom, and it will give you a whole different batch from the same kit.
After you’ve played and created some fun lines, you can save and share it if you’re willing to give them your name and email address. If you plan to order any poetry tiles for home, you’ll likely give that to them anyway unless you choose to order from another source like Amazon. If you want to do what I did, just screenshot the whole page. But, before you do that, I recommend you move the piles of unused tiles as far away as possible, so you’ll have plenty of room for cropping your final image.
Once I’ve got my screenshot, I open the image in the Photo Studio Pro app. I can’t tell you how other programs/apps work yet because that’s all I’ve played with so far. In the app, I crop out all the extraneous page info and save just the white background with black-on-white words. It’s not bad just like that, but I like pretty papers and stuff, so my next step is to use the app’s blend menu to create a background. They have a lot of gorgeous designs to choose from, or you can choose your own images or browse an online page from Pixabay public domain images. You can even have their AI design a background for you. And then, you’ll just use the slider to make the image as dark or light as you want with your words.
Here is a collage of my screenshot, then cropped, then blended image…
I saved my original cropped image as a “project” in the app, so I can go back and play with different backgrounds if I want. And there you have it; a way to play with words. I’d love to see your creations if this technique works for you. Maybe I can create a group on Flickr (my favorite photo site) just for people doing the online poetry tiles. Now, go play with words.
Here’s one more quick set of small ones I made recently…
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🎵 The Poetry of Poetry: And the Biblical Rhythms that Never Fade
Every April, while I’m finding excitement in it being National Poetry Month, I’m hearing many “I hate poetry” voices–even from my fellow writers. But I don’t think it’s poetry they hate. If they read God’s Word, they are reading poetry in a lot of it, especially the Psalms. If they listen to music, they are listening to the meter and rhyme of poetry. I think it’s the abstract and flowery ideas often found in poetry that they feel resistant to; not the idea of rhythmic words.
Poetry is to words what a kaleidoscope is to bits of colorful glass. When tumbled together in the presence of mirrors and light, the pieces in the kaleidoscope can present an image that will stop you in your tracks and take your breath away. And the same thing can happen when you read a poem that captures words with precise rhythms you can feel like a song.
In biblical poetry, the use of parallelism (like mirrors in a kaleidoscope) creates a cadence that works as a mnemonic to help you remember the words and their meanings long after you’ve closed the book. It’s why so many Scriptures can easily move into song — the music is already within the words.
So today, I invite you to look more deeply into the idea of poetry. Look at why the rules of meter and rhyme (the musical elements) of a poem matter for both writers and readers. Ignore the idea that every poem is by a creator who abuses artistic license (though there are plenty) and let yourself enjoy the poetry that surrounds you in so many ways. Even nature with its mirrored flower petals and fractalized seashells displays itself as a poem without words. So, if you understand the technology and technique behind it, you’ll understand and admire the poetry of it.
There is an unspoken symmetry in the words that click with our spirits. It’s like the broken pieces in a kaleidoscope lining up to become a star, sparkling with unexpected beauty. My article, “The Poetry of Poetry” (1300+ reads at Scribd.com) is your invitation to open up the kaleidoscope and look at the mechanics behind the design. The exact placement of the mirrors and where light is invited in can completely change the reflections of the glass. You’ll learn the mechanics of poetry in what I’ve put together, and it will help you see how a poet can use words and rhythms to create reflections that pull you into the vision of the piece.
Download the PDF of The Poetry of Poetry
And, finally, enjoy this beautiful version of Psalm 23 (Surely Goodness, Surely Mercy) by Shane and Shane. This will give you biblical poetry with the mathematics of perfect harmonies. For me, this song with lyrics was easy to sing, and it brought more than one moment of tears.
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🎵The Closer You Get
We had a pleasant writer’s group meeting with some beautiful poetry to celebrate April as National Poetry Month, and a wonderful devotion by my hubby. He shared a bit of the life and songs of Fanny J Crosby from her autobiography, and we shared some of our own life slices to know how to pray for each other. And since it’s been a long day with all that, I’m going to add one of her songs that goes well with the Scripture on the pretty spring image above and bid you all blessings on your Sunday and upcoming week. May you get closer to The Lord this week, and may you sense Him drawing closer to you.
Psalm 145:18 AMPC
[18] The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him sincerely and in truth.
https://bible.com/bible/8/psa.145.18.AMPC
Hebrews 10:22 YLT98
[22] may we draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having the hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having the body bathed with pure water;
https://bible.com/bible/821/heb.10.22.YLT98
James 4:8 BSB
[8] Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
https://bible.com/bible/3034/jas.4.8.BSB
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🎵 Savage Grace Release Day!
(All Rights Reserved)
I’ve listened to the song multiple times now, and it’s got great lyrics, vocals, and music. Super proud of my brother!
As I promised from his story in yesterday’s post, I’m bringing my readers the video release and some links where you can get a copy for yourself. If you are a radio listener, you’re welcome to ask your local Christian station to give it some airplay as well. Help me help him make this a great release week with lots of interest.
So first, here’s the link from YouTube…
Next, here’s his website info where you can find his Facebook and Instagram pages, check out some of his merch, and sign up for his newsletter… https://www.shaynesavage.com/ And while you’re there, I recommend a scroll to his Liner Notes (blog) for some perspective posts. The latest post is all about the difference in faith and trust. Go directly to that one by visiting the next link…
I’d love some comments here, or if you stop by his Facebook page, please tell him you found out about him from his big sister. 😁 Enjoy the music, and thanks for letting me have a little time to promote this talented musician and singer.
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Grace by DNA Story–About Shayne
It all started one Valentine’s Day in 2018. A life-changing blessing with a journey that still continues.
Back in the early 2000s, hubby found a company that did DNA to look for genealogical connections. I was happy when he found a few cousins and wanted the same experience. But they didn’t do women’s DNA. Fast forward to Ancestry DNA, and they did. So my gift was the test kit, though I was really hesitant to spit in that tube. That hesitancy pushed me to the middle of the year, but I think the timing was perfect.
Shortly after my results came in, hubby was viewing the site since we had it in his name, and he told me, “You’ve got a message on Ancestry that I think you’re gonna want to see.” And there was this beautiful message from someone Ancestry said could be a very close cousin or grandchild. What? I’m thinking, wait I’ve already seen how the numbers look for my first cousins, and these numbers are way higher. I did some quick research to see how the stats work on DNA, and ours were more likely to be half-siblings. I’d met my other half-siblings, so this new connection was both confusing and exciting.
I wrote back right away and told this new relative that I thought he was likely my brother, and I’d be so excited to get to know him better. Then I called my half-sister in Texas and told her I thought we had another brother. There’d been a bit of distance between my dad and I for a few years (that’s a whole ‘nother story), so she called him to ask if we had another brother. At first, he said we didn’t, so I checked with his brother, my uncle, and he said he wasn’t even in Arizona during that year. Now this called for prayer. In the meantime, we spoke on the phone, and I learned that he’d been adopted as an infant and had never met anyone to whom he was blood related.
Fast forward to May of 2019, and Shayne, with his wife Heather, were on their way from Canada to the US for our first meeting. That’s the first image above, but the airport background wasn’t pretty, so I replaced it. Hubby made them the welcome sign they’re holding and has been a huge support as God has expanded this territory in my life. It would take too many words to tell you all we discovered about each other, but it was so neat every time Heather would notice similarities and state, “Oh, you guys are definitely brother and sister!” Though he’s a bit bolder as you can see by his fishtank antics. 😁
We met again in October of 2019 in Nashville, and shortly after that, I was able to fix things with my dad enough to get a phone call from him and then plan a visit to see him and his wife. During those calls and visits, I was able to tell him all he was missing by not acknowledging this son of his, and I quoted him a Bible verse to dissuade some of the guilt he may have been fighting about not having been there all his life. Of course, he was excused because of not knowing about Shayne, but I still wanted him to feel like God showed favor to him because of children he had fathered–not necessarily children he had always raised. That verse is…
Psalm 127:4-5 BSB
[4] Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are children born in one’s youth. [5] Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. He will not be put to shame when he confronts the enemies at the gate.
https://bible.com/bible/3034/psa.127.4-5.BSB
Now forward to November when Hubby and I were able to get a stay in Branson, Missouri, for ourselves and my sister and brother-in-law. She’s the one with whom I share both parents, and we were raised together for most of our growing up time. We all went together to the small Missouri town where our dad lived with his bride of 10 years, Cheryl. We had a wonderful visit with both of them, and we left with encouragement for our dad to contact Shayne. On Christmas Day of 2019, my brother heard his father’s voice for the very first time. (happy tears)
All the wheels were put in motion for Shayne to meet his (our) father after the winter weather let go in Canada, but that was 2020, so you know what happened there. Borders couldn’t have been shut any tighter. And again, we all went to prayer. In the meantime, I lost a very dear aunt in Arizona who was like a mom to me and my sister. That was just before the lockdown, and it filled the year with chaos and stress. Meanwhile, a good friend was watching her mom struggle with Alzheimer’s, and I was trying to be supportive of her. A crazy year but God’s presence sustained all of us.
Sometime in the late summer of 2020, my brother was able to find a way to get him and his wife Heather across the Canadian border. And they drove down to meet Dad. I was getting the play-by-play and so excited for both of them. Almost a week later, I got a call from the friend whose mom was struggling offering to take me to Missouri to see my brother and my dad. I will never be able to pay that gift back, and I’m forever grateful for the moments she gave our family before Dad left this world. And the miracle of timing for my brother to meet his father and our father to meet his son. (melt)
Again, there’s so much more to tell (which is why I want to write the Grace by DNA book), including the fact that I got another sister out of the deal because Heather and I also shared a lot of similarities–especially about spiritual things. So I’ll close this here by telling you why I chose to share all of this today. It’s because tomorrow’s blog will be all about a big event for my brother, and I’m super proud of him. He is releasing his first single from what will be his first album. I’ll share his website and teaser for tonight, and all the release stuff, including why he chose his particular performer name, tomorrow.
This YouTube page has links to Shayne’s website (where you can sign up for his newsletter), Facebook, Spotify, and Instagram…
https://youtube.com/@shaynesavagemusic?si=j2u8FhzTK-7x8PjG
And here’s the teaser from his Insta post…
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🎵Photo Walking
What’s the most fun way to exercise?
Daily Prompt by Day One
If I can get myself out the door with a camera around my neck, I tend to enjoy the steps I get a little more. A trip–back in 2022–to Azalea Path in Indiana is my favorite of all time. I’ve been there more than once, but that year, we just seemed to arrive during the best color display I’ve seen there. Here’s a collage of some of the captures from that day, all straight out of the camera (SOOC). It was cloudy, so I used a higher color setting, but I was very happy with a few of the shots out of 1200+ I captured. I especially love the ones with waterfalls.
© 2022-2026 (All Rights Reserved)
And even though these are not lilies, this reminder from the words of YahShua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ The Messiah) are a fitting comfort that goes well with such an array of colors.
Luke 12:27-28 BSB
[27] Consider how the lilies grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these. [28] If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith!
https://bible.com/bible/3034/luk.12.27-28.BSB
And since I used that verse, well, I might as well share the beautiful song with the same words, right?
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With This Wing, I Thee Wed
Nope, that’s not a typo. It’s what either me or hubby said on our wedding day 35 years ago. I know I tried to put his ring on the wrong hand, though. Lol 😂 But despite starting with a few mistakes, today makes 35 years of being dedicated to each other in marriage.
Our first celebrations were a little bigger, like his showing up at my job in a suit and carrying flowers on our first anniversary. Health and age can slow ya down a bit, but we are still happy together, and a simple meal out while wearing more comfy clothes is just fine with both of us.
Hubby doesn’t know yet (until he reads this post), but I made a list of 35 special thoughts about our 35 years together. These are the things that stand the test of time in my brain, and they are the thoughts that keep me wanting to stay together (for another 35 years) as long as possible…
35 Thoughts on 35 Years
1. “My Valentine's Day was 2 days ago.” (See my post When God Plans a Meet Cute for the story);
2. Talking to my Aunt Shirley on the phone. (She knew I'd be moving to Kentucky after a few conversations with him.)
3. He started praying while driving through a scary snow storm
4. He made me a house key with "I ❤️ U" etched into it.
5. Taking me to meet his brother at his job when he first met me in person.
6. My wedding day with Esther (his family friend who knew him all his life) performing our ceremony and almost crying as she saw his happiness.
7. Taking me downtown in my wedding dress to see his sister at the hospital where she worked as a nurse.
8. Taking me to my family in Arizona for our honeymoon.
9. When my Grandpa met him and then introduced him to a neighbor as his grandson. (Like he knew right away that he was right for me forever.)
10. Our first trip to Cave Hill Cemetery to feed the ducks (and see Colonel Sanders grave).
11. Our first Thunder Over Louisville.
12. My birthday gift of Oreos in a flower tube with a carnation on top.
13. My 30th birthday when he dressed up as “grim reaper” and took me to lunch at the downtown galleria.
14. Taking me to see the hospital where I was born. (And announcing on the video he was recording that the most wonderful girl in the world was born there.)
15. Big bunches of balloons for many special days.
16. A sign that says, ”I know what love is because of you.” (See it on Flickr.)
17. Lungs suctioned out joke: He had me believing his every word, so when he told me that people who move from dry climates to humid ones sometimes need their lungs suctioned out, it didn't seem impossible. They did it to my grandma due to cancer, and I was coughing up all kinds of yuck when he told me. But what made it funny was months later, on the phone with my uncle asking how I liked Kentucky, and I said, “Well, I haven't had to have my lungs stuffed suctioned out yet.” I'll never forget his laugh as he asked, ”What? You believed that?!”
18. Taking our nephews and me to see where I went to middle school and to meet some of my family.
19. Many scavenger hunts including one where the final clue was taped to a brick then wrapped as a gift. I still have the glider rocker it led to 20+ years later.
20. My 50th birthday party with friends and a scavenger hunt of clues to get my next clue by figuring out which guest was being suggested.
21. Being a cat man (and bringing 14+ new kitties into my life).
22. Letting me go to Arizona for my aunt and for my mom when they needed me.
23. Providing me a home (and painting the kitchen yellow as a surprise).
24. My door of Valentine's conversation hearts. (Flickr pic with kitties and the door in the background.)
25. Wonderful travels to places like Gatlinburg, the Ark Encounter/Creation Museum, Branson Christmas, World's Largest Rocking Chair, and more.
26. Supporting my writing (including a few conferences).
27. Supporting my singing (even if the album never got released).
28. Getting my DNA that let me find a brother I never knew I had.
29. Making the welcome sign for my brother and sister-in-law when they came from Canada for us to meet for the first time.
30. My butterflies on the ceiling and many other butterflies, including wind up ones that jump out and flap that he kept hiding in my laptop. (Flickr pic.)
31. My garnet birthstone ring specially made by our friend, Mark. (He's the one battling thru chemo & radiation now, so please pray for him and his wife Debbie.)
32. Singing hymns and gospel music with me. I especially love our travel games when we try to name (and sing) a song for each letter of the alphabet.
33. Flying to Vegas when my mom passed, and also taking me to Missouri for my dad's funeral. Oh, and weeks off for a trip to Arizona when my Grandpa passed.
34. Matching Proverbs 18 T-shirts and many Blessed Girl shirts.
35. Fighting to get stronger to stay with me longer... Forever and 3 Days!
HAPPY 35TH ANNIVERSARY to my husband and the love of my life! 💕✨💕
And there are so many more moments and memories in my heart and mind. Thank you readers for sharing my quick trip down a 35-year memory road (too long for a lane). Maybe you can make your own list of memories about someone that matters to you.
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🎵A Little Purple Bliss
After all the heavy-on-theology posts of the last couple months, I think it’s time for a little purple playfulness. My irises started blooming, so while I was outside talking to a neighbor, I got some shots with my Pixel 9 phone camera. With a favorite selected, I went to Photo Studio Pro (by KVADGroup App Studio at Google Play Store) to crop and frame it, and then to my Mirror Lab app to create kaleidoscope designs. They were a little more dull than I liked, so I took a few of those designs to Wombo Dream AI and tried a few different filters for variety. Once I had a nice collection of images, I went back to Photo Studio Pro to put them into a collage with one of the Mirror Lab images as the frame background.
So there you have it. If you’re a purple lover, you should really enjoy this one. 🟣 💜🟪 And just in case you REALLY like purple, here’s an article at the Houzz website with lots of pictures of purple kitchens: https://www.houzz.com/photos/purple-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~a_88-7?pg=5
And with that, I say goodnight and I hope you had fun during International Jumping Over Things Day.
Oh, and just because I can, I have to include this video of Sheb Wooley singing One Eyed, One Horned, Flying Purple People Eater…
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🎵Resurrection Redemption Revealed
On this Resurrection Day, celebrated as “Easter” by most Christian churches, we focus on a Risen Savior who endured suffering on our behalf. The final and perfect Passover Lamb has said, “It is finished.” Between the crucifixion and the resurrection, The Lamb was not silent. He was using that blood offering to purchase the keys of hell and death to free anyone who truly wants what He offers. And now, He is risen!
A couple people guessed that yesterday I was talking about Barabbas. Did you figure it out, dear reader? Maybe, like me, you once learned that his name means “son of the father.” The father in this word is not an earthly parent, but someone in a position of master or teacher, like a rabbi. So, Barabbas was likely a preacher’s kid. If you’ve raised your children right, but they don’t want to serve the God you taught them about, don’t give up even if they’ve been tried, convicted, and sentenced. God sees them.
As I studied and talked about Barabbas, a few more things came to light. For example, we don’t actually know the kind of person he was. Was he a notorious criminal because he committed multiple crimes with a bad and uncaring attitude? Or did they just take note of him because he was the son of a rabbi, and it gave them pleasure to take down one of God’s people? We’ve seen it in our modern media, so it’s not a stretch to think that could be possible. I even wondered if maybe the insurrection against the Romans was a religious one because Roman law was fundamentally changing the Torah practices within Israel. Like state laws that tried to prevent people from gathering to worship during the 2020 lockdowns, it’s possible that new Roman laws were hindering old biblical laws. And just maybe, Barabbas had read enough of the sacred writings of the law and prophets that he was trying to imitate them by taking out the “enemies” in that insurrection before they could put his people back into bondage again. And then someone got killed.
We don’t know what drove him to the behaviors that landed him in jail and headed for the death penalty. But, we do know that God didn’t change his identity, and his name was even more important than the rich man in hell whose name was never given. And we know, as Gemini pointed out to me, that Barabbas is the only person in history who could say in a literal physical sense, “Jesus Christ died for me.”
I’m sure I’m not alone in always seeing Barabbas as just a ”villain” in the Passion Story. But what if he’s more? What if this is another one of those things that are small to us but significant to God? Planned. Ordained. And with deeper meaning than most of us realize. Regardless of his crimes, his name Bar-Abba was a constant reminder of his identity and where he came from. Now, he was being given a second chance. What would he do with it? Here’s my hopeful view…
While others followed Messiah YahShua because of His miracles and His teachings, Barabbas found the disciples later and joined them because he was driven to show thanks for the grace (unmerited favor) he’d been given. He knew Messiah paid a debt He didn’t owe, and he owed a debt he could never fully pay. His freedom wasn’t just a reset button that would allow him to go on as if none of his past had ever happened. The people knew. The relatives of the person who died at his hands knew. He knew. And that weight inside him could only be lightened if he did something of value with his freedom. So he would testify to others who felt hopeless. He would tell parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles to never stop praying because mercy creates miracles. He would follow the Man who died for him for the rest of his life.
This 1707 hymn ”At the Cross” has lyrics Barabbas himself could have sung: Was it for crimes that I had done, He groaned upon that tree? And then the final verse:
But drops of grief can ne'er repay
The debt of love I owe.
Here, Lord, I give myself away,
'Tis all that I can do.
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A Passover Prisoner Exchange
by Crystal A Murray (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Who could this prisoner be whose freedom now hits him square between the eyes while he watches a substitute take his place on the cross? His cross! He was found guilty. He was sentenced to die that death. And he knew how wrong he was for committing his sins because he’d been raised better than that. He was supposed to be a preacher–not a prisoner. And now he is free even though he didn’t do anything to deserve it. The weight of the chains that once bound his wrists now weighs even heavier on his heart. What will he do with his new freedom?
I’m not going to tell you his name yet. I’m going to let you guess, or study, or maybe a little of both. If you already know, you’ve probably never thought of him as a backslidden PK (Preacher’s Kid). If you don’t know, I’ll tell you tomorrow. But today, I’ll remind you that because of the ultimate Passover sacrifice, no one is without hope.
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🎵Behold the Lamb!
(CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Scripture tells us that there is safety in a multitude of counselors. I think that’s because perspective is created by individual experiences mixed with the wisdom we’ve been taught. We share our perspectives with others (hence the proliferation of blogs, podcasts, videos, etc.), and when that is mixed with someone’s experience, they get new perspectives with which to counsel others.
I love to read, but not so much book-length manuscripts. I’ve read a few novels that kept me enthralled, but it’s just a handful of authors that have that effect on me. So, I read lots of articles and blog posts, and other quick content. I love the Bible app by YouVersion because of the abundance of Bible studies there. And I can study alone or with others. Their plans are best on the app, but this page should work even if you don’t have the app yet… https://www.bible.com/reading-plans and you can search plans by topic, length, author, etc.
My latest study is called “A Gospel View of Christ, the Lamb of God” by Returning to the Gospel. The link should take you right to it.
In reading this study, which is happening during Passover week (and Easter week) because I didn’t start it right when I planned, I’ve read of an amazing “coincidence” (we know it’s more likely a “God-incidence”) about the examination of the Passover lambs. All of Exodus Chapter 12 is about the Passover, and you can read it at Bible Hub, but here are the 2 verses that gave me a new perspective…
Exodus 12:3, 6 BSB
[3] Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man must select a lamb for his family, one per household.
[6] You must keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight.
https://bible.com/bible/3034/exo.12.3-6.BSB
I added bold emphasis to point out the 10th and 14th days. They chose a lamb but did not slaughter it until it had been thoroughly examined, and then all the people slaughtered their lambs at the same time. The study pointed out that on the 10th of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar, the sheep were being brought through the “Sheep Gate” to be examined for the Passover. It is known as “Shabbat HaGadol” and is a significant Sabbath for the feast. On that same day, Messiah YahShua was entering another gate riding on a donkey. He would have dinner with His disciples, and then they would go pray in Gethsemane. From there, the betrayal would mean His arrest and then a whole lot of examination. And they found no spot or blemish, so He was ready to be sacrificed.
I don’t believe Abba Yahveh Almighty lets any of that just happen. It’s a full plan to redeem us and to remove any excuses from those who know the details but refuse to believe. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out one day that each thing that happened back then was on a clock that matched the original Passover to the minute–or even to the second. An article at “Hebrew for Christians” has even more amazing details. My favorite is the connection between the Passover lamb and the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet: Aleph (pronounced ah-lef) and Tav (pronounced tahv). In Hebrew, these are written as א and ת.”
In the Hebrew Scriptures, these two letters often appear together. While they act as a grammatical pointer, they also represent the ‘First and the Last.’ Remember that YahShua said He was the Alpha and Omega, which is the Greek equivalent of Aleph and Tav, or A and Z, or First and Last. I used the parallel Bible at Bible Hub to view the Hebrew letters, and it’s as they say. Read the whole article for more at… https://hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/Shabbat_HaGadol/shabbat_hagadol.html
And with all that information, now I want to turn to the reason for seeking these things. We need to behold The Lamb so we can fully understand what He did for us and share that good news (or God news) with others. Close your eyes and imagine that pure and spotless lamb, silent and waiting, not even knowing the power that would flow from it’s perfect body to cover the door posts of Israel and protect them from the Death Angel when it entered Egypt. And then, envision another Lamb, this One knowing the power in His precious blood. Pray with me…
Abba Yahveh, our Father, we thank You for not just teaching us, but for loving us. Before we knew what we were missing, You were creating and perfecting a plan to remove every barrier that separates us from you by covering sin in perfect blood. Before we knew You (while we were yet sinners), You already loved and wanted us for Your own. You literally moved Heaven and Earth to make it happen! As You reach out and pursue us, even into the depths of the bondage of sin, may we look up and reach out to You and allow You to deliver us and set us free. It is not Your will for any of us to perish without You. Thank you for that and for ALL of Your wonderful mercy and grace. May Your Holy Presence dwell with each person who brings this prayer to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
And now, a beautiful song written by Dottie Rambo called “Behold The Lamb.”
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Finally Submitted to Wergle Flomp!
I won! Yay! The beautiful silver “Poet of Merit” bowl was my award from poetry dot com, and it would only cost me $150 for personalization and shipping.
Yep, back in the early 2000s, many writers felt like their dreams had come true because they were officially labeled as poets of merit. It was proof we really were good writers.
As much as I wanted to just accept their “gift” and go to the ceremony to receive it, I couldn’t afford it. That made me research the validity, and I found out plenty of bad news. One group tested things out by having a class of first-graders submit their poems. Every single poem won the “International Poet of Merit.” But the folks who conducted the test decided to make this terrible thing into something good. They created a humor poetry contest called “Wergle Flomp” with free entries and real prizes.
And now, after planning to submit for over 20 years, I finally decided I’d send a silly poem I wrote about a true event in my childhood. Here’s the poem…
Why Fish Should Not Climb Trees
If I hadn't seen it for myself,
I'm not sure I would believe,
That one could catch a catfish,
By fishing in a tree.
Though not a tree for climbing,
Mesquite brush on the shore,
Can grab a cast thrown near it,
To keep forevermore.
This bush, it doesn't grow alone,
Bad company it keeps,
Nettles that will sting the skin.
They give me the creeps.
Once I got a bit too close,
Knowing not what lay in store.
Blisters made a nice wide path,
And left my bare skin sore.
So when I cast my line that day,
A bit too far and wide,
And Mr Mesquite grabbed it up,
I snipped it and said goodbye.
I wasn't climbing down that hill,
With nettles and brush that bite,
Besides all that, twas dinnertime,
So I went in for the night.
But early in the morning,
Before I went to school,
I thought I'd do some fishing,
In the early misty dew.
I grabbed my pole with its new hook,
And weight and bait and line.
Then out the door and down the dock,
I went for some quiet time.
And then the sight that I beheld,
Made me think it was a dream,
There was a catfish in the tree,
That hung above the stream.
The tide had risen in the night,
And receded to morning lows,
So my stolen line and hook and bait,
Had spent some time below.
Below the water at high tide,
I guess the worm woke up,
And a big 'ol swimming catfish,
Decided it would sup.
I'm sure it swam and wrestled,
Till the tide went back sea.
Dangling there, it knew for sure,
Why fish should not climb trees.
And, yes, I did catch a fish in a tree when I was at my grandparents’ house on a river called “Taylor Slough” in the delta region of central California. The river had tides that would make the walkway of the dock really steep at low tide and almost flat at high tide. Early mornings were low tide, so it was a good time to fish. And it was a good time to catch a fish in a tree. Lol 😂. My only regret now is that I didn’t take a picture, but that wasn’t as simple before digital cameras and camera phones. My poem is my picture of it to share with the world
If you like poetry, remember that April is National Poetry Month so it’s a good time to stretch your poetic muscles. And in case you’re interested, you can read other humor poetry at the link above using the contest name. Maybe one of my readers will submit in the future, or maybe you already have and you’ll tell me about it in the comments.
Now, for your continued poetic pleasure, here is the other poem I wrote on the same subject. It’s a different style, but you can only submit one poem per year, so this one isn’t going anywhere but here for right now…
I Fished In A Tree
I've thought a few times,
How confused I'd be,
If I saw a fish
Dwelling in a tree.
Fish don't have wings,
And they don't fly.
So only birds,
Should be up high.
But this is true,
Trust what I say,
I saw a fish,
On a branch one day.
Nested snugly,
In the leaves.
Scales shimmering
In the breeze.
I got up early,
Near sunrise,
To do some fishing,
With sleepy eyes.
To make up for,
The night before,
When catching fish,
Became a chore.
Because my line,
With hook and bait,
Caught on a tree,
And there it stayed.
Too much nettle,
Around that shore,
So that clipped line,
Was gone evermore.
Or so I thought,
When I went inside.
I never considered,
The rising tide.
It came up high,
In the midst of night,
And the wormy hook,
Dropped out of sight.
Beneath the deep,
And watery slough,
The fish were swimming,
In green and blue.
A wiggling worm,
Became a meal.
And caught the fish,
No rod or reel.
And when the tide,
Went low again,
The fish was dangling;
I had to grin.
Hanging there,
For all to see,
Now I can say,
I fished in a tree.
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🎵Happy April (Convert A) Fool Day
If I could create a dream picture, this would be close to it. A steady flow of people headed toward the Cross of Christ and dropping their heavy bags along the way.
There are so many things in this life to make a person weary, and people deal with that weariness in a multitude of different ways. But when most people find The Way, The Truth, and The Life that is YahShua (Jesus) HaMashiach (Messiah), they realize the futility of all the other ways.
So I’m going to keep this short and just list the travel stops (Scriptures) along The Romans Road for those who are searching. And if you are one who has said in your heart that God is not real, this is your chance to change from the definition of being called a “fool” in God’s Word to instead being called a “son” or “daughter” of God. Whether you believe but don’t serve, or you don’t believe at all, I’d love to share something that can make you hungry for the blessings you’ve been missing in The Lord.
First stop, Romans 3:23 with understanding that no one is perfect…
Romans 3:23 BSB
[23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
https://bible.com/bible/3034/rom.3.23.BSB
Next stop, Romans 5;8 with hope because God doesn’t wait for you to be perfect to offer a sacrifice for your sin…
Romans 5:8 BSB
[8] But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
https://bible.com/bible/3034/rom.5.8.BSB
Then a stop with knowledge that imperfection leads to death but perfect blood changes everything…
Romans 6:23 BSB
[23] For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
https://bible.com/bible/3034/rom.6.23.BSB
And the home base with mercy and grace that welcomes you when you admit you are powerless to fix your own sin and believe that the greater power of God’s gift of salvation is what you need and want…
Romans 10:9 BSB
[9] that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
https://bible.com/bible/3034/rom.10.9.BSB
If you’ve made a new decision to serve God today, welcome to the family. Please share your story in the comments or write to me and share it privately. If it’s not a new story, I still love to hear conversion stories because they are powerful and inspiring. At whatever point you made (or make in the future) a choice to follow The Lord, know that all of heaven rejoiced (or will rejoice) more than one who finds buried treasure.
Luke 15:10 BSB
[10] In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
https://bible.com/bible/3034/luk.15.10.BSB
If you’re still thinking about it, here’s a great study page at Bible Hub where you might find some answers to your deeper questions: https://biblehub.com/faq/How_can_I_Follow_Jesus.htm
And now, enjoy the pretty guitar and vocals by Lydia Walker as she sings about a decision to follow Jesus…
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