I Love 🥰 Emojis
What are your favorite emojis?
Ask anyone who gets messages from me. I love emojis! 💝 There’s something about being able to say a lot with a tiny form. A picture speaks a thousand words, right? And when I downloaded Google’s Gboard keyboard and got access to their “emoji kitchen” to create my own, that was the whipped cream and cherry on top.
I’m not sure why Day One chose this for their 1921st prompt, because so many emojis only show up as little boxes here on WordPress, but I still love the idea, so I’m experimenting. I’ve downloaded a lot of the mixed ones I created to share in a collage, and they’ll show fine since they’re pictures. Like this set of train emojis from messages I sent to my sister while she was on the train last year.
I really love the train that’s slipping on a banana peel. That was from combining a train emoji with a banana emoji. You should be able to tell what was combined to get each image. I highly recommend the Gboard app for the personal dictionary and the Glide Typing abilities as well. I don’t know if it’s available anywhere but the Google Play Store, but if you can get it, I’m relatively certain you’ll have fun with it. Go to https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.inputmethod.latin
And here are some new ones I just made tonight. As you can tell, I like combining the cactus with different things. Oh, and sparkles. I love adding sparkles to other emojis.
Most of these should be obvious, but the wooden globe may not give away that it’s a combo of the earth and a wooden stump. The frying pan is the combo of a dinner plate and an egg. But I cannot do a train and a cactus, so here’s what you get when you choose to do the two types of cactus 🌵 and 🏜️ (I hope these show) inline with a text…
So, yes, I think you can clearly see that I really like using emojis as a communications tool. I hope this inspires someone to have some fun with these great compact emotions.
Now, since April 27th is also “National Tell A Story Day,” I have one more treat for you. It’s a very old story, some sites say a song, that I learned when I was a teenager. I never sang it until I taught it to my nephews and had them sing it like a military marching cadence for their uncle. As I searched, it seemed all the sites had slightly different words, so I’m using the ones I recall from my years of repeating this tongue tangler of backward, inside-out, and upside-down words..
I started with the introduction of...
Ladies and gentlemen, hobos and tramps,
Cross-eyed mosquitos and bowlegged ants.
I stand before you, not behind you,
To address you, not undress you.
Admission is free, pay at the door.
Pull up a chair and sit on the floor.
I come to this end, not to this out,
To tell you a story--I know nothing about.
~~~~~~~~and then the story~~~~~~~~
One bright day in the middle of the night
Two dead boys got up to fight.
Back to back they faced each other
Pulled out their swords and shot each other.
A deaf policeman heard the noise
And came to kill the two dead boys.
If you don't believe my story is true,
Ask the blind man... He saw it too!
One day, I’ll tell you the story of Petey the Snake. But it’s best to hear it, so I’ll need to get over myself and be willing to record it. But wait, there’s more. I just had to make my juggling emojis with the knit filter. Too cute!
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Ideas from Heaven
Where do ideas come from? And just because they formed in our minds, does that mean they belong to us? Well, yes and no. I mean, without being made in the image of our Creator, we would not likely have creative minds that generate ideas. That’s why the image is showing ideas from the heavens finding their way to the minds of men.
April 26th is National Intellectual Property Day, and it commemorates the pursuit of each person maintaining ownership rights for intangible ideas and creations. Thoughts and ideas often lead to tangible creations and/or processes that have huge effects on people’s lives—sometimes even life changing. For example, a sound therapy that can stop a seizure would be a life-changing invention. And it’s not only the sound creators or device constructors that make it possible, because it wouldn’t be possible without an idea that was followed, researched, tested, etc. (I don’t even know if that sort of thing exists, but there are lots of sound therapies, and a seizure seemed like the most visual idea I could point to.)
If you create anything, you have made use of intellectual property. The site linked above (National Day Today) gave a good description, so I’ll cite some of their intellectual property to share with you…
What Is Intellectual Property and Why Does It Matter?
Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind, including inventions, literary and artistic works, symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce. The primary categories of IP include:
Patents – Protection for inventions and technological innovations
Copyrights – Rights for literary, artistic, and musical works
Trademarks – Protection for brand names, logos, and slogans
Industrial Designs – Safeguarding the visual design of objects
And, yes, this topic seems a little boring, but I couldn’t remember my idea for tonight’s blog post, so I looked up the day, and decided that this was the one celebration I could “write what you know” about. Though it is also “Jason Day” and “Gabriel Day.” I have a brother named Jason, but I don’t know that he wants me to blog about him. And the only Gabriel I know is not someone I know but is a pretty funny comedian also known as Fluffy.
Back to the idea thing, though, I used to have business cards that listed me as a “Writer and Creative Mind.” I may have mentioned that before because of my desire to have a gathering of creative Christians sharing ideas and creating together. I believe it is being made in God’s image that enabled our creative abilities. Because of the sin when the enemy bit the heel of mankind and inserted his darkness into human DNA, some folks misuse their creativity to produce terrible ideas and products. But the idea of being creative is still rooted in our Creator, and I think that’s something to celebrate and lean into. Please share some of your creative thoughts and ideas in the comments.
There’s a great Bible study on the Bible app by YouVersion called “Created to be Creative” by Marian Parsons. It’s only 5 days long, and each day has creative exercises at the end. Find the study at http://bible.com/r/12I and let me know what you think when you finish. She begins the study from the verse in Psalm 19:1,so I think that’s a great place to end this post…
Psalm 19:1 BSB
[1] For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
https://bible.com/bible/3034/psa.19.1.BSB
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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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🎵 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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🎵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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For Pete’s Sake, What is a Minced Oath?
(CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Hi, my name is Saint Peter. Welcome to Heaven! It looks like I've found your name here in The Lamb's Book of Life, so you'll be spending eternity with us. But there is a concerning note here that says you have a tendency to use a lot of minced oaths. Is that a habit you can break?”
“Oh, for Pete's sake, I thought that was better than using the words they stand in for. Besides, shouldn't I get a pass since Feb 26th is actually For Pete's Sake Day?”
“It's what? My name is on a special day of the year?”
“Well they don't know for sure, but since the phrase is likely a euphemism to replace something like 'For Christ's sake' and because you knew Him, it's a good bet that it is a reference to you.”
“Wow, that's pretty interesting. But you know, you might not want to be talking about bets in here either--good or bad,” Peter adds with a grin.
My little scenario above is not a probable one at all since we’re all more than likely going to be devoting our words to worship The Lord and not even thinking about euphemisms and minced oaths, but I thought it was a fun way to introduce this annual day. And doesn’t the heart have a great smile as he finds the latest person’s name to welcome them in?
So, you have probably used minced oaths (or euphemisms) yourself at some point in your life. And you may have developed some that you use so regularly, you don’t even know what they were originally replacing. Things like shoot or dagnabbit or fiddlesticks or sugar take the place of words that often begin with the same letters, but the replacements sound a bit more respectful.
For example, I once heard a small story about a little boy who was riding his bike home from the grocery store when he hit a puddle and went into the dirty water food and all. Frustrated, he shouted, “Jesus Christ, God Almighty!” A preacher was walking nearby and asked him what he just said. He quickly changed his words and said as if posing a question, “Cheese and crackers got all muddy?”
If you want to read more about the history of this day, just visit the National Day Today page at https://nationaltoday.com/for-petes-sake-day/. As for me, I just might end up in that scenario because I tend to use a lot of what we used to call by words. I’m certain they are better than using “colorful language” (a euphemism for cussing or swearing), and they can help release some steam of frustration. But I try not to use the ones I was trained against like gosh, darn, or geez. And I really don’t like OMG (since it’s effectively calling out to God but not waiting for Him to answer), but I often say, “Oh my goodness,” and hubby jumps in with the Scripture about our righteousness (goodness) being like filthy rags. It’s one of those joking things that is actually true. But the truest part is that even though our sins make our souls dark, the Blood of Christ will wash us and cleanse us to make us whiter than snow.
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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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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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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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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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God’s Presence Changes Everything!
Fullness of Joy by Adam Ranck at Flickr…
https://www.flickr.com/photos/aranck/12436534373
CC License Attribution, Non-commercial
Stress! Anxiety! Who will win the election? Who are my friends and loved ones voting for? Who should a Christian support? Surely, every candidate supports something with which God Himself will find fault, so what’s a Christian to do?
If your answer is PRAY, you are absolutely right, but that is only the beginning. Then, we must question what to pray for. Do we pray for a specific outcome? Do we ask God who to vote for and then hope we hear His answer correctly? Of course, we can pray those things, but there’s still anxiety in them, and God’s word tells us to be anxious for nothing. So, what can we pray that will remove our anxieties when there is so much of our future at stake?
Pray for the presence of God!
I’ll say it again…PRAY FOR THE PRESENCE OF GOD!
Remember the promises that come with praying for God’s presence, and you will see that a prayer for His presence is enough for EVERY situation–including every political outcome. If His presence is in the voting booth, it can guide voters to the best decision. If His presence is in the high places (like the White House and campaign headquarters), it can drive out the spiritual wickedness that dwells in high places. If His presence shows up where there has been deceit, it can spur the revelations that will cause hidden sins to be found out. We need God’s presence to bring balance and truth throughout this nation.
Some of God’s presence promises include…
- In His presence, there is love.
- In His presence, we have Life.
- In His presence, there is fullness of joy.
- In His presence, we have light.
- In His presence, we have comfort.
- In His presence, there is grace and truth.
- In His presence, there is rest.
- In His presence, we have peace.
- In His presence, we have refuge and a shelter.
- In His presence, we have salvation.
- In His presence, we have a home (now and for eternity).
So, like a little light can drive out darkness, even a little of God’s presence can drive out those things which cause us anxiety, including the turmoil about this election and all that is involved with it. The more of us who pray for God’s presence, the more of His presence will be there–and we then have a great amount of Light to change the atmosphere.
Please, join me not only on election day but always to pray for God’s presence. For elections, pray for God to be in every voting booth, at every polling place, in every government seat and building, in every campaign gathering and headquarters, with every voter, and with every candidate. After elections, and as all the candidates swear their allegiance to our Constitution and the nation, states, and cities they will represent, may the presence of God go with each and every one of them to lead them in their duties and in their personal lives as well.
God’s presence will bring light where there is darkness, truth where there are lies, justice where there is imbalance, and peace where there is strife. There can be no greater prayer for today or for our future than to pray for Him and His presence to be poured out and to fill every aspect of our nation, our world, and our lives.
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In Memory of My Mother
Mom in a stardust frame. May she be even more beautiful now in the presence of her Lord and Savior.
It’s hard to believe it’s already January 25th, and this is my first post for 2015. When I said I’d be traveling to care for my mom, I don’t think I realized how much her diagnosis would change my world. Her loss on January 13th turned it upside-down.
I have some news to share related to her last days, but I will share that at a later date, probably when I’m back home and ready to start updating again more frequently. For today, I want to share the information I put together for her memorial service. I found the above picture in her belongings, and I believe it’s from her late teens.
A few things from the memorial brochure I made for her…
Page 1, with the picture: “Tell the people, I am happy. Be happy for me too.”
Page 2:
2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NLT)
(Paraphrased)
7. As for Catherine, she has fought
the good fight, she has finished the
race, and she has remained faithful.
8. And now the prize awaits her—the
crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous Judge, will give
her on the day of His return. And the
prize is not just for her but for all
who eagerly look forward to His
appearing.
Page 3:
In Loving Memory of
Catherine Anne Jensen
Went peacefully to her eternity with
her Savior, Jesus, on
January 13th, 2015
Memorial at her home church,
First Assembly of God, Benson, AZ
Sunday, January 18th, 2015 @ 1pm
Potluck reception to follow service.
Page 4:
Philippians 4:8-9 (NLT)
8. And now, dear brothers and sisters,
one final thing. Fix your thoughts on
what is true, and honorable, and right,
and pure, and lovely, and admirable.
Think about things that are excellent
and worthy of praise.
9. Keep putting into practice all you
learned and received from me—
everything you heard from me and saw
me doing. Then the God of peace will
be with you.
Many blessings to all my readers for your caring and concern as I walk through this unexpected valley of change in my family. Before she left us. the advent of technology allowed some wonderful last moments for Mom with her older sister, Shirley, and her younger brother, Dale, as we gathered on a Google hangout from three different homes. She was able to say good-bye to siblings, daughters, sons-in-law, a nephew, and friends on the Thursday evening before she began sleeping through her last days. On Saturday and Sunday, she awoke for brief moments for good-byes with her church friends in Benson. A little after 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning, January 13th, Mom took her last breaths while looking up and appearing to say “yes” to someone above her. We believe it was an answer to the question, “Are you ready to go?.” She left peacefully and without enduring the extreme pain normally associated with pancreatic and liver cancer. The grace of God has sustained us and will continue to sustain us in the coming days.
May God sustain all of you today and always,
~Crystal
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2014 in review
2014 is almost over, and I’ve slowed down a bit as the year winds down. I guess we all need to take a bit of a break now and then, and mine came in with some physical issues that wore me out for a few weeks. Now, I wonder if my body was preparing for the emotional hit I received just two days ago when I found out my mother has inoperable late-stage pancreatic cancer. Prayer gives me amazing comfort, and I can’t imagine walking through a time like this without the grace of God and the strength of praying friends. When we’re out of control, there’s so much comfort in knowing that God is on His throne and that He cares.
With planning and upcoming travel, I don’t know how often I’ll be posting, but I promise I won’t forget about the blog or about my precious and valued readers. Thank you for every day, and every lesson, you have walked (and will walk) with me in this wisp of life here on earth. Now, here’s a 2014 review prepared for me by WordPress…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,900 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 32 trips to carry that many people.
Click here to see the complete report.
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Old Man Winter Meets Baby New Year
It is now officially winter, so whether we call him Old Man Winter or Jack Frost, he’s here to stay with us for the next three months. Because he always comes to visit less than two weeks before the end of the year, we can be sure the old and new will cross paths with one another.
Our lives are filled with times of crossing old and new, and like the crossing of winter and the new year, the meeting does not always mean the old disappears right away. It is said that it takes 30 days to develop a new habit, so in that 30 days, the old habits slowly die away. Winter takes a little longer. For the old to go away any faster, it takes a miraculous change, and there are many stories of such miraculous changes because of one newborn baby some 2000 years ago. That miracle-bringing newborn is our Savior, Christ the King.
One of my all-time favorite Christmas songs is the one written in 1865 to the English tune of Greensleeves; the carol What Child is This?
The video above uses the entire set of lyrics, some of which are often left out in popular recordings but have so much power that I searched through a number of videos to find one that had them. Here are verse and chorus one…
What Child is this who, laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
This next verse is sometimes left out, but even when it is included, people often sing the above chorus instead of chorus number two. When you read the words for the second chorus, you’ll understand the beauty and power in words that speak of the price our Savior paid for our eternal souls. I have trouble not crying when I sing this entire verse and chorus.
Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
See what I mean? I’m the “me” in that 2nd line, and you’re the “you.” He was born, and His cross was borne, for me and you to receive forgiveness of all our sins, so we can live with Him for eternity. Once we receive that blessed salvation, we can lift praise for His mercy and grace. Here’s verse and chorus three…
So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
I love the second-to-last line–Joy, joy, for Christ is born! Because He was born, we have a promise that our old lives and sins can be washed away, and we can be cleansed and made whiter than snow. Because of the blood of Yeshua, we are made both whole and new. As it says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)…
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
When Old Man Winter meets Baby New Year, may their introduction be an invitation to you to surrender your old life and let Christ make you new. You don’t even have to wait until then because we have the call in Scripture that Now is the day of salvation. Merry Christmas, and may this season bring you the newness and joy of life with our Savior, Christ the King! Amen.
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Heaven on Earth
We all want a perfect life. We don’t want troubles and trials, sickness and loss, or any of that stuff that brings us grief and heartache. If we could have it, we would gladly take Heaven on Earth. This desire is likely as old as creation’s move from a perfect garden to a world overrun by thorns and thistles. I believe we have this desire to keep our hope alive for a future eternity, and the story of The Savior’s birth that we celebrate during the Christmas season renews it.
Another of my favorite Christmas songs is Oh Holy Night. Since the first time I heard it, I cried at the imaginings of a world filled with darkness and having no hope; not hearing from The Lord through prophets or otherwise for around 400 years.
The first verse tells us the condition of the world on that holy night…
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
‘Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
That third line, Long lay the world in sin and error pining, says so much. Imagine being in a world where even the church is infiltrated by the government. Our world….if we give in to mayors who demand copies of sermons and laws that demand we live up to government expectations instead of biblical ones. We wait now for a promised Messiah to deliver us from the certain end we are facing if things continue as they are. Servants of God then also waited for deliverance according to promises they had read in the books of the prophets.
The last line, Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth, gives us that first glimmer of hope for the deliverance the Messiah would bring. The end of the first verse continues that hope and can be sung with a more lively beat.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Can you hear it? The beat that would go behind that thrill of hope? That lively beat then leads to the acknowledgment of such powerful mercy and grace that it can bring us to our knees in praise. The song’s author must have felt this as he penned these words…
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born.
The rest of the lyrics from the video are on the YouTube page, and there are even more verses and versions in the history of both the song and the poem. Visit Wikipedia to learn more. Another beautiful story behind the song is available at Beliefnet.
He brought life into a dark world, and He brought hope into a world of hopeless emptiness. His word tells us that He came to break the chains of bondage and set the captive free. Even though we have wars and troubles in this life, we have a hope for our future eternity if we continue to run our race with patience and perseverance. All of this is because of that one Holy night. I’ll close with a final verse and chorus.
Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in His name all oppression shall cease.Fall on your knees! O hear the angels’ voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night divine, O night, O – Ho-ly – Night.
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God Does Not Need an Alarm Clock
For another post on my favorite Christmas songs, I’m including the lyric video from the Burl Ives’ version of I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. This version has a slightly different tune than what we find in many songbooks and by many singers, but it’s the one most familiar to me. I grew up playing the Burl Ives vinyl album called Holly Jolly Christmas for years. If you want to hear other tunes, including a newer one by the Christian group “Casting Crowns,” click the title to view the Wikipedia article.
In reading the history of this song, I’ve found that this poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was written after a number of life tragedies. History has it written in either 1867, or in 1863 in the midst of the American Civil War. Whether during or after the war, this poem was likely written when, in addition to personal tragedy that included a war-injured son and recently deceased wife, the writer’s heart was close to breaking.
Put yourself into the life of Mr. Longfellow. Imagine getting up in the morning, struggling to find any hope in your day or in your life. Your home and family no longer feel like the safe places of comfort they once were. Then, just when it seems nothing else can go wrong, war in your own homeland takes away your last place of security and stability. You stand on your front porch wondering what it’s all about when the church bells start ringing just as they did when life was safe and war was not raging. Here’s verse 1…
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet, the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
The poet laments how the song goes on when it seems life should not. The Christmas season and its accompanying song are unbroken, the exact opposite of the author’s heart. He writes about this in verse 2…
I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
It was more than the author could take. His pain brought him to one of his lowest points in life. He writes of this low point in verse 3…
And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
The air is thick with his hopelessness. Can you feel it? Have you been there in your own life? He sees no possibility of peace on earth or any good will to men as things stand now. Whatever else he was thinking and doing here, I imagine he was also praying. It is only in heartfelt prayer that a man could hear a voice of hope reminding him that God is still on the throne. Here’s my favorite verse, verse 4…
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
God is not dead! He is not even nodding off for a nap, and He doesn’t need an alarm clock of war or tragedy to wake Him. He is and always has been (and always will be) on His throne. His desire is peace on earth and good will to all men. For that desire to come to pass, God knew there had to be a covering for the sins man commits while misusing his free will.
The best use of our free will is to choose God, and that’s God’s hope for all mankind. Unfortunately, we lean too often on our own understanding instead of on His will, His ways, and His everlasting arms, so we need the blood of Yeshua to rescue and deliver us. That salvation through Christ is the best reason of all to celebrate His miraculous birth. God is still on His throne, wide awake and preparing a hopeful future for those who love Him. The wrong shall fail! The right shall prevail! And, one day, we will have true peace on earth and good will to men.
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Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel
I’ve decided to do some posts on Christmas songs that really touch my heart. I don’t yet know how many I will do. I’ll start with songs from my top-ten list in no particular order. The first song I’ll use is Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel.
The video is a performance of the song by Selah (one of my favorite groups), and it’s a wonderful rendition with the tune from Hatikvah (The Hope) played between the verses. The lyrics are on the video, and I’ll put some of them here as well so I can add commentary. I’m pulling these from the carols.org site, and you can click there to read all five verses.
Verse 1
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
We read of this name, Emmanuel, in Matthew 1:23. Here it is from the King James’ Version…
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
I once heard a story about a man and his wife who opened their door on a snowy evening to see some little white kittens romping in the snow. The wife was on her way to a Christmas Eve service while her husband chose to stay home because he couldn’t understand the importance of Christmas. As she walked farther away, the man tried to call the kittens to the door to come in from the snow. He even poured some warm milk into a bowl, but they still refused to come to him.
Eventually, the frustrated man hollered at the cats, “Don’t you cats know that if you stay out there you’ll freeze to death? How come I can’t make you understand? I guess I’d have to become a cat myself and talk in your language before you’d believe me.”
Just then, the church bells rang in the distance, and the man fell to his knees with understanding.
God knew we would die in our sins without His intervention. He needed to look like us and speak like us for us to believe that He only has our best interest in His mind and heart. He prophesied these things, and then He spoke to Joseph in a dream using the name, Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” Think on these things as you ponder the reason for this season.
Even without believing this to be the exact time of year for His birth, we can celebrate His birth every day, and that includes the days now upon us. What a blessing to have a time of year when God’s love, brotherly love, giving to others, and receiving from others, are all wrapped up in bows and lights and beauty. What a privilege to rejoice in His gifts from all time and for all time. HalleluYah! Now, here are the lyrics from the last two verses of the song.
Verses 4-5
O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
In ancient times did’st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
When I think of God’s promises to us, His deliverance from hopelessness, and all He has done to draw us close to Him and give us the right to call Him “Abba, Father,” it moves me beyond words. I am nothing in and of myself, and yet He decided I am worth the amount of love it takes to robe Himself in flesh to set an example for my life, and the greater love to lay down His life for me.
If you don’t know Him, or you don’t know Him with this kind of intimacy, seek Him with all your heart and soul and you will find Him. That’s His promise. I pray for your understanding and desire to receive the gift of salvation paid for by sacrifice and blood. He does love you, and He desires to ransom you out of your sin, so you will no longer have to live in bondage to it. Rejoice with me and be free to go and sin no more. Amen.
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The Ferguson Golden Rule
Agape by Flickr User Marcelino Rapayla Jr., Creative Commons License = Attribution
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I’m not sure when it became en vogue to pay people back as we feel they deserve, but it is a horrible twisting of God’s real “golden rule.” Injustice should not breed injustice, especially when the first act has not been proven. What has been proven is that people are excusing bad behaviors as balancing justice. Individuals are burning businesses of people who have done them no wrong, and journalists are publishing private information of the innocent family of a perceived wrong-doer.
And what if we all, including the police, did what rioters are doing in the name of justice? What if, every time an African-American gang member shot a white police officer, the rest of the white police officers burnt down the houses of all the gang members and their families? Without any color or race in play, what if police routinely attacked innocent civilians coast to coast as a method of payback for the deaths of their brothers in blue? Would any consider that to be justice?
What does Scripture tell us that God considers justice or right behavior? Here are a few verses from the New Living Testament…
Matthew 22:39b–Love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 5:44-45a—But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.
Ephesians 4:31-32—Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Two wrongs have never made a right. I believe Yeshua told people to forget the old “eye for an eye” instructions for more than just His mercy. I believe it was because people misused and abused God’s instruction, and they used payback for personal reasons instead of under God’s direction.
If we try hard enough, any one of us could find a reason to hate, or at least dislike, any other of us. I have known people who wished evil on others just because of what state they were born in or what team they favored. This idea that we should hate someone because of the job they do, the race they were born into, their financial status, or whatever, is senseless. Those who incite the hatred in others are just as guilty as those who start the fires because they ignite the matches that ignite the matches.
Here’s what I want to know: Where are those who are using this situation to teach their children why they should never put themselves in bad positions by getting involved in criminal activities? Foolishness is born into the heart of a child, and only the rod of correction will drive it from them. Children aren’t necessarily innocent just because they’re children, and by the time they’re teens, they are old enough to take responsibility for their own behaviors. There’s no personal responsibility for them or their “defenders” in trying to refocus the attention on how the police dealt with the criminal instead of reminding youth that crime doesn’t pay.
This new “Golden Rule” as promoted by events like the Ferguson riots, and older versions of the same, is neither golden nor a good rule to live by. It’s all about division even if it disguises itself as unifying people because it’s only unifying for the purpose of being set against others.
The spirit of division began in the garden when Adam blamed God for the woman who helped him sin, and Eve blamed the serpent for offering the sin. In truth, Eve was responsible for listening to the temptation, and Adam was responsible for choosing to obey a voice other than that of his Creator. It continues to this day in dividing race, gender, status, etc. It won’t stop as long as sin reigns in us, but that doesn’t mean any of us has to live by its rule. Will you be one to choose God’s word and rules over man’s?
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