Month: October 2018

Finding Moments of Respite

The crazy news cycle and the deep divide in our culture over political policies are emotionally exhausting. The distortion and actual lies about my state rep’s record are upsetting. I know Tom.

I need moments of respite. Morning devotions in Proverbs with my husband, prayer and time outside are refreshing.

In prayer, we can give thanks for God’s sovereignty and pray for peace.    2 Chronicles 7:14 has instruction for our prayers.

When I work in the garden I experience joy in God’s creation. Most of my plants have stopped producing—except for the herbs.

I am harvesting and drying calendula for tea and recipes. Calendula is also known as poor man’s saffron.

Calendula

I am still harvesting thyme and rosemary for soup, chicken and potato dishes.

Thyme
Lemon Thyme

The farmer’s market also refreshes me. Today is the last market of the season and I picked an assortment of beautiful apples.

Farmer's Market

 

I stopped by the French nuns’ booth one last time and bought my favorite pastry, an apricot nest.

French Pastry

How do you find joy and respite?

It’s Friday and I am participating in Five Minute Friday, a community of writers. Today we are writing on the prompt: MOMENT

Linking to Sue’s image-in-ing.  Visit Sue’s page for photos from around the world.

Save the Turtles but Not the Babies

If you go to see the movie, Gosnell: the Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer, you will understand the title of this post.

Gosnell Movie

My husband and I saw this movie today. The movie is based on the actual court documents from the trial. It was riveting and held the attention of the audience. We were in a small theater; probably three fourths of the seats were occupied. The later showing was sold out.

The film showed the condition of the abortion facility. The abortion procedures were described but not shown on screen. The focus was on the trial, and the hesitation that the health and legal systems have in overseeing abortions.

Gosnell Movie

There are some things in life and in our culture that we would rather not think about. Babies who are born alive have their neck cut with scissors to kill them. Because it is legal, is it kinder to suction the gray matter of a baby’s brain (insuring death) prior to delivering the baby?

We should weep for our country. How can we think that we are solving human problems with abortion? I do not fault the desperate women—I fault the solution that we are offering them.

I hope you will make time to see this movie. It presents a real picture of a complex issue.

Forgiven, Healed and Redeemed

For the past month I have been studying the book of Leviticus. It is a study of God’s holiness and his plan to redeem mankind. The sacrifices and offerings that God required of Israel point to man’s sin and the need for payment in blood. Sinful man cannot approach God.

Psalm 15 raises these questions.    Lord who may dwell  in  your  sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?

God had a plan from the very beginning. In Leviticus we see the outline, or shadow, of a plan that is completed through Jesus.   Jesus  provides  forgiveness for our sins and redemption by his death on the cross  and  resurrection.

The Psalms look ahead to our salvation and declare the love and compassion that God has for us.
Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul and forget not all his benefits—
Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
Who satisfies you desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.   Psalm 103: 1-5

The book of Leviticus and the Psalms lead me to reflect on God’s holiness and his loving plan for us. So many reasons to give thanks and have praise on my lips.

The troubles in the world can weigh us down; we need to keep our focus on God.

This post is linked to the Five Minute Friday community of writers. Every Friday we write for five minutes (or a little more) inspired by the prompt that Kate Motaung gives. Today’s prompt is: WHO

Praising God During Troublesome Times

This past week I read Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin. It’s a story about three Swedish sisters that immigrate to Chicago. I enjoyed the character development, especially the youngest sister, Sofia.

Sofia is tried and tested by circumstances but her faith in God gradually grows. The Bible verses that guide Sofia’s faith are woven into the text. The story holds a  message of hope. In troubled times, when we don’t see an answer to problems, we can to turn to God in faith and with praise.

One of the verses that Sofia returned to a couple times is Psalm 66:1

Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!

The Psalms are a wonderful resource that demonstrates both lament and praise. There are times when I have doubts, when my faith is faltering. I don’t think of praising God. At that time I should turn to the Psalms for inspiration and words of praise to God.

What helps you offer praise to God?

I am joining the Five Minute Friday writing community. The prompt for today is: PRAISE  Also linking with Booknificent Thursday and  Literary Musing Monday.

Good Writers are Readers

Good writers are readers. In order to become a better writer, I read extensively. I read fiction and nonfiction books. I read nursing and midwifery journals. I read the Bible. Last fall I thought that I should read a major newspaper to keep up with the events of the day.

If I was going to share my viewpoint on a subject, I needed to be well informed. So I subscribed to a major newspaper on-line and read it daily. Sometimes the views expressed in the paper upset me. But I kept reading.

Then the accusations against Brett Kavanaugh were widely reported, in detail, in the newspaper. I was offended because incidents were reported as if they were factual. It felt like gossip. Gossip about a very sensitive subject.

And so I terminated my subscription to the paper. I am now reading the daily news briefs from World Magazine on-line. As a Christian I want to be well informed. I want to participate in discussions that seek the truth. We live in a confusing and complex time.

I am spending more time in prayer as I try to understand how to live for Christ in a hurting world. I want to share love and light.

What do you read as you search for truth?

The prompt for FMF is: SHARE   Click here to visit the Five Minute Friday. Also linking this post to Literary Musing Monday .

Why Study the Book of Leviticus?

The book chosen for our Tuesday morning Bible study is Leviticus. Yes, Leviticus. The over arching theme, above all the sacrifices and laws for food, is God’s holiness. God is holy and human kind is prone to sin.

Yet, the Israelites were instructed to be holy.

For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. Leviticus 11:45

The epistle of Peter instructs the followers of Jesus to be holy.

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy”. 1 Peter 1: 14-16

Is that possible? Jesus came to replace all the animal sacrifice for sin. It is through his shed blood on the cross that we have the potential to become a child of God and receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Like the Israelites who were rescued from Egypt, we have been saved to shine the light of faith in this world.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10

Events in the world can deceive and distract. We need to remember God’s call to holiness every day.  God is sovereign.  Praise God for his  mercy, grace and love.

The prompt for Five Minute Friday is: POTENTIAL. I am late in posting this. but have been thinking about this word while working on my Bible lesson. Also linking with Literary Musing Mondays  .