When I Think Of All This...

My favorite prayer in scripture begins with "When I think of all this"...and when I read those 6 words I need to pause and ponder about "all" what? This prayer is Ephesians 3:14 - 19 NLT. I have to go to chapter 2 of Ephesians to discover the fullness of "all" and what caused Paul to say that he "falls to his knees". Me? I weep. The division in our world today caused by hate is reconciled in chapter two's words: "He (Jesus) made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups." And what does this have to do with me (Gini)? I went to Proverbs 21:30 for my answer: "No human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the LORD." In Jesus there is unity and no plan to divide can stand against it. Jews and Gentiles represent ALL of humanity. Paul was given the responsibility of bringing the Gospel to Gentiles, I being one of them. Every word I read in scripture written by Paul is to me and any non Jew on planet earth. I love the red ribbon of Christ's redemptive blood that runs its true and final course through God's Story, Genesis through Revelation. God, the Father is the creator of everything in heaven and on earth. Through His Spirit and Christ my roots can grow down into God's love and keep me strong. As I understand and experience this awesome love I can be complete with the fullness of life and power from God. This is the promise of this magnificent prayer in God's Word. And hopefully as I live out this promise I will be a part of bringing peace to others with Christ beside me, over me, behind me and in front of me. This GREAT news is the absolute best for my hurting and dying world. The daily push by the evil one to divide can be pushed back and away by HIS unifying redemptive love. All praise and glory to HIM.

History

June 25, 2020 Facebook: Growing up I was not a history buff...probably because most of my access to history was reading. But NOW I really enjoy reading. And much of what I enjoy reading is HISTORY. So I got this bit of info from a hymn history book. The Hymn, Ancient of Days was written in 1886 as part of Albany, New York's celebrating its bicentennial. Another source of history is, of course, the Bible. And the history recorded there isn't all sunny and warm. Much is dark. I can't imagine anyone destroying the Bible because of its history. I would be the first to admit and agree that much of America's history isn't sunny and warm but dark. Yet, I am SO sad about parts of our history being torn down. I'm not searching for reasons. I'm not wishing to engage in debates. I just want to say that this all makes me SO SAD

Could This Happen

COULD THIS HAPPEN? COULD THIS REALLY HAPPEN? The house was finally quiet. The giggles…noise from the toys…the television…the puppy’s barking. Silence. Sweet silence. The young couple took a few moments to enjoy it. Then they spoke of it. Was it possible this was the end of the first week of summer vacation? They were exhausted. Only the first week. The entire summer stretched out before them. How were they going to survive it with four children…the oldest just finished elementary school and had already rolled his eyes to express his boredom with the “family games”. The youngest was easy. She sat in her stroller and giggled as she tossed her bottle for the puppy to chase. The “in-betweens” played hide-and-seek. Mom and Dad? It was a great day of frolicking and picture taking. BUT, here they were. EXHAUSTED. The TV remained off. They both needed to talk about this. “We need a plan” they both said, without speaking. The next day was Sunday and there were two more in this month and at least four in each summer month ahead. How about going to church? They had planned on this before their first child was born. Both had grown up going to their church every Sunday with their families. It was how they met. They loved it! So, why hadn’t they gone? Fourteen years had past. They loved this place so much and wanted their family to experience life here. What happened? Now, pure exhaustion and the need for a plan prompted them to consider going. They could even add a picnic after the morning at church. Great! This would all take half a day and then they would still have time to prepare for the new work week! It was decided. The next morning, the four children were puzzled by the blur of activity. Nice clothes were laid out for them to wear. The family picnic basket was filled to the brim and sat by the front door. Mom and Dad were lovely and handsome in clothes that indicated this was not going to be a stay at home day. It wasn’t until everyone was buckled in and Dad had started driving down the street that Mom announced “We are going to church today!” Hmmm The four children knew what this meant. Yet, they hadn’t experienced it as a family until that morning. But the enthusiasm from mom and dad soon spread through the car and with gleeful anticipation they began to imagine the next few hours. Finally the church was in sight. But, something was strange. As they pulled into the parking lot, theirs was the only car. He looked at her. She looked at him. It is Sunday? Finally, he stopped the car close to the entrance. It was then, they noticed a large sign. They got out and slowly walked toward it. With horror, he read, “This church building has been closed by the authority of the United States Government. Any attempt to open it will result in prosecution.” Below the statement was a list of 10 reasons for the closure. Each window that had once been a beautiful stain-glass was now covered with a board. Each door had a large lock. At the park, as the children ran and played their games, mom and dad sat on the blanket in stunned sorrow. How could this be? On their way to the park, they had driven by many churches. Each had the same sign and boards and locks. As they quietly talked about the events of the morning, tears swelled up and rolled down their cheeks. They waited too long. Their children would never experience those beautiful days in church. That morning, she opened her eyes, wet with tears and turned in the bed to her husband. “I just had the most horrible dream!”

Between The 2 Eternities

BetweenThe2Eternities - a favorite phrase of mine (in fact it is the name of my worship blog) We live between the two eternities - first breath until our last...before all time and into no time. On this planet, I see myself in three positions: on the potter's wheel, kneeling at the cross, and on the anvil. For me, the position on the wheel reflects my design, physically, emotionally and gifts Psalm 139:13 - 18; at the cross I willingly, or not, bend the knee (Philippians 2:10) and on the anvil (Psalm 51) - owning up to my sins and submitting to His grace, mercy and judgment. After 74+ years I find myself thinking and saying to God "ENOUGH!" I keep wanting to slide off or jump off the anvil. Of late the heat has been too much. But His Word says He is watching me (El Roi), so although I said "Yes" to Jesus at His cross, He isn't finished with me and keeps telling me, "I will say when ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" ❤

Be Here Now

"Be here now". Charlie shared this with me years ago, after a men's retreat. It stuck with me. I've often thought those three words (especially when driving my car). I get distracted. Even in writing this, I accidentally deleted what I wrote and now I am trying again. Where are the words? CRAZY! DISTRACTIONS! The task at hand is put aside by thoughts that yell, DO ME! THINK ME! I need to write...I want to write. But the words keep swirling around in my head. "Be here now" I use it as a catalyst to confront my distraction. But it is also a great three word prayer. God doesn't need a catalyst to be here now. But, I need to say the words to remind me of His presence. How can I trust those three little words to God for my here and now needs. HOW? "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10 Stop...pause...ponder...take a deep breath...be still

Jesus, unfiltered

Jesus, unfiltered This is a sermon series title from Pastor Eric Kapur. Here are my thoughts about this. As I consider the act of "unfiltering" Jesus in a personal way, it seems to start with my prayer life. It is interesting that something happened on Saturday in Landon's baseball game. His team has a player who has emotional and mental challenges. Honestly, he looks like he doesn't have a clue about what he is supposed to do when his team is on the field, defensively. The game before yesterday's game he got so visibly upset he started to walk off the field, close to his left field position. Everything happening to him angered me. He was the only one giving him a bad time. Yet, I felt a questioning anger of why his family put him in such a painful place. He is last in the lineup. He is as tall or taller than Landon but about three times as big. He is mammoth! When he comes up to bat he looks like he could hit the ball a mile each time and for the pitchers on the other team who haven't seen him before, he is intimidating. But in our six games he hadn't hit the ball once, always striking out and walking just once. He just didn't seem to fit. Then, yesterday happened. Before the game started I began a conversation with one of our fans. I didn't know him. After chatting a bit I asked him which player he "belonged to". The name of the player was the boy I just described. His dad then shared a bit about him, where he went to school and about some of his struggles and how they were trying to help him. WOW. "Don't judge, Gini" was my chastising thought. Later in the game I was standing from fatigue and I was behind the home plate area. When this player came to bat, I suddenly felt a strong presence of God. "Please Abba, let him hit the ball" I prayed, feeling very heard. He swung the bat at the pitched ball and WHAM...clear out to the area of the field he positions defensively, hitting the fence. The fans and players went crazy with cheering. He didn't score right then, but did come home on a hit ball by another player. Not only did God give him an amazing hit but also an opportunity to cross home plate! This made my day. I found his dad and gave him a hug. At the end of the game his son came smiling with the GAME BALL, his coach gave him after the game. In Pastor Eric's sermon, the scripture lesson was about Jesus feeding the 5,000+ with two fish and 5 little loaves. Our lesson was what Jesus said to the disciples: "bring the lunch to me". Bring our meager possible means to solve hurts and needs to Jesus...and truly, our answers and means to solve needs ARE MEAGER. All I could do for this young player's pain was pray. My awesome, all seeing, all caring God bent down and heard my plea. And I wept. On the scale of world events and pain and suffering all around me, my prayer would be insignificant to an uncaring, unloving god. But to Abba, that moment in time for this young boy was ALL IMPORTANT. Suddenly, for me, the filter of Jesus was removed to show His tender compassion. And as I write this, I weep again. Oh, how He loves us.

Three Most Beautiful Words Ever Spoken

THE THREE MOST BEAUTIFUL WORDS EVER SPOKEN - Imagine the satisfaction an artist feels when the last brush stroke is placed; satisfaction an architect feels when the last line is drawn on the plans for a structure; satisfaction a seamstress feels when the last stitch has been sewn on a beautiful garment; satisfaction when an author writes the final word; satisfaction for any creative act, including all of creation. Each of these and any other that may come to mind ends with "It Is Finished" But when Jesus drew His last breath on the cross and spoke "IT IS FINISHED" the foundations of Hell shook and Satan and his demons cringed at the reality of those THREE MOST BEAUTIFUL WORDS EVER SPOKEN. Remember them. ❤