Category Archives: Religion and Spirituality

Wearing a Tatoo?…

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Sundays are for celebration!

image via lchwelcome.org

For singing and for gathering…

For lifting up hearts as one in praise and thanksgiving.

Sundays ignite us…recharge us…renew us…transform us.

But are we just “Sunday visitors”?

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Dropping by….in and out…returning back into our comfortable week?

Or do we choose…

image via tatoojoy.com

To be tatooed?

Marked?

The richness of Sunday imprinted on our very selves…

Vibrant response carried out into the world humming the tune…

“We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord (2x)

And we pray that all unity will one day be restored,

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love.

We will work with each other, we will work side by side (2x)

And we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride.

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.

They will know we are Christians by our love.

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand (2x)

And together we will spread the news that God is in our land.

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love. “

Join the ranks of the heart tatooed!

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, “Your God is King!” Is 52:7

One Step at a Time….

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image via welshscribe.co.uk

Baby stands holding side of table.  Mama gently calls, “Baby, come to Mama.”

She extends her hands and Baby slowly takes one step.

Mama smiles and with arms still outstretched steps backward just a bit and gently calls, “Baby come to Mama.”

littlebabysteps.ca

Awkwardly Baby takes another step reaching out to Mama’s hand.

A third time Mama extends her hands, backs up and gently calls, “Baby, come to Mama.”

Baby takes one more step and begins to fall but ….

image via momstobe.com

Mama embraces her smiling and together they rejoice.

One step at a time…

God gently calls our name, extends His hands and says, “Come to me.”

image via enquisitive.com

 As we steady our feet we see His outstretched hand and hear His gentle call,

“Beloved, come to me.”

Hesitantly we take a step tottering as we go.

A third time we hear His voice, “My friend, come to me.”

As we take a step we begin to stumble.

And His arms surround us and pull us into His powerful embrace.

image via tapestryproductions.com

 Whispering to our soul His words of love.

One step at a time…The Lord encourages us.

One step at a time…The Lord calls our name.

One step at a time..His arms outstretched.

One step at a time…He catches us when we fall.

One step at a time…He fills our hearts with the truth of His love.

One step at a time….He is forever near.

“Which of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asks for a fish? If you then, who are wicked,  know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.” Matthew 7: 9-11

In the Very Now of the Race…

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Stretching…

image via 101exercises.com

Elongates muscles, conditions, improves range and motion, gives increased energy, enhances coordination, and improves posture.

And gives a greater sense of well being.

Stretching prepares for future use and overuse.

And although pain in the stretching…

If held through the tension, there is a settling.

So too spiritual stretching…

A necessity.

Reading the Word and pondering a difficult passage…

Saying no to a temptation to live less than one’s dignity…

Reaching out to another against the feelings of “do I have to”?…

So many ways…

Spiritual stretching

image via kids.lovetoknow.com

Enlarges the heart…

Conditions our thoughts…

Improves our “range of motion reaching out to others”…

Increases spiritual energy and corrects our Godly posture…

Helps us to grow in the truth “I am God’s beloved”…

And prepares us for whatever battle will be fought that day.

We are professional athletes in the spiritual realm…

image via activerain.com

Running a race in which we already know the prize to be given.

The victory celebration will come soon…

But you have to STRETCH your very self in the “now” of the race.

And if there’s pain….stick with the tension until you gain the peace of the stretch!

May we all one day be able to say from the heart,

“I have competed well;  I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” 2 Tim 4:7

Strolling in the Green Grass on the Other Side of the Fence…

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image via ecobirder.blogspot.com

Mother Eagle builds a nest.

First weaves together thorny branches. Then lays atop soft filler.

As baby eaglets grow the space gets smaller.

Reluctant to leave, Mother Eagle begins to remove soft filler.

image via hillsborough-nj.org

 Eaglets cry as thorns poke and prod and they try to get comfortable in the nest.

Mother Eagle continues to remove the soft filler until all that is left is a nest of thorns.

Finally when the pain is too much, the eaglets begin a new journey learning to fly.

image via aerie.iving.ca

How easy to try to plop down in a mud puddle of “maybe this is all life has to offer”….

How easy to try to live avoiding all the growing pains of life…

But this is nothing more than hide and seek living when you are always the one hiding.

Pain pushes us out of the comfort zone and brings us to a new plateau.

And by His grace the “grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” becomes the green grass we find ourselves strolling in.

Pain and the realization of hope go hand in hand.

If we choose it.

“and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” Rom 5:5

Transmit or Transform…..

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image via freeblogspot.org

 First steps after an injury…

so tentative.

Fear mixed with “what ifs”?

A push needed beyond our feeble strength.

Our will infused with the Divine encouraging us forward.

Be it physical, emotional, or spiritual pain.

Pain….

image via adam-purcell.com

One can transmit it….

Broadcasting all to join into the pity party of “I give up”, “Woe is me”, “No one has ever had it worse”

or….

One can allow the pain to transform…

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 Stretching the whole of the person in the reality of Hope.

Pain can become the leaven that allows the dough to rise.

image via 123rf.com

Pain can become the impetus for the rising to new life.

Pain and resurrection…the two really do go hand in hand.

It’s a choice.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead….In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials.” 1 Peter 1:3, 6

Clothes Inside Out…..

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If I were to walk into the room with my clothes inside out….

image via facebook.com

Some might giggle, some might point and whisper behind my back, maybe a friend would point out the problem.

“Your clothes are inside out.”

My response, “Yes, I know. Are yours?”

What does it mean to walk through life with one’s clothes inside out?

image via soulemama.com

We all want to bring Christ into the world, don’t we?

We all want to leave the world a more beautiful place don’t we?

We all want others to know God’s magnificent love, don’t we?

Isn’t our world starved for something beyond one dimensional living?

Living from the inside out is to live with passion…

Living from the inside out is to live with compassion…

Living from the inside out is living from the source of living water within us…

Living from the inside out brings our unique stamp of the Divine image and likeness into the crowds of cookie cutter people hiding behind their fleshly garments.

Living from the inside out steps forward Spirit first.

image via aboutenglishidioms.com

Living from the inside out is putting one’s heart on one’s sleeve and walking through the day…

Living from the inside out draws attention at times…

But Living from the inside out draws others into the embrace of God.

Living from the inside out….how will you dress this day?

I dare you….live with your clothes inside out!

“Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: ‘Rivers of living water will flow from within him.'”

John 7:38

For the Greater Glory of God….

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For the Greater Glory of God…

May your weekend be.

For the Greater Glory of God…

May your eyes see…

With a “Glass Half Full” attitude…

A weekend full of “Happy Hours”…

Deep Breathing -ins and Heart -to-Hearts…

Prayers and Peace and Joys and Smiles…

All for the Greater Glory of God…

May your weekend be!

Bountiful Blessings!

“But I believe I shall enjoy the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.”  Ps 27:13

“Unhappiness” To Do List….

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“Unhappiness” To Do List….

1.  Live for yourself.

“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. ” James 3:16

2.  I need ____________ to make me happy.

(fill in the blank:  new car, bigger house, more friends, better figure, more money)

“Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, whch plunge them into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains. ” 1 Tim 6:9-10

3.  Compare yourself with others.

“But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.”

2Cor 10: 12b

4.  Complain. Be ungrateful.

“In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 The 5:18

5.  I’ll be happy when __________.

(fill in the blank:  my ship comes in, I’m out of debt, I get a better job….)

“Behold, NOW is a very acceptable time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation.” 2cor 6:2b

Convicted???

Let’s bring this “To Do List” to the foot of the cross…

Let the Blood of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior, set us free.

“For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.” Gal 5:1

One size fits all? Do it yourself?…

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Struggling in a one- size- fits- all holiness?

Trying to put on Christ like your best friend, your spouse, your neighbor, some character in a book?

Are you a do it yourself-er?

Holiness isn’t about being like everyone else.

Cookie cutter people we are not….

“Do it yourself-er”, “I am the maker of me” people we are not!

You are a “once in a lifetime”, they “broke the mold” after you, unique gift of a person.

Created by Him who is Love, molded in His mighty grace.

It takes courage to be the real you…

But when we live our uniqueness clothed in Christ…

it gives permission for others around us to be real!

so……

Lions and tigers and bears in your life?

The Holy Spirit fills you with the courage…

to be who you are and be that well!

Surrender to His grace.

Be the best you today….God needs you!

“I have told you this so that you might have peace in Me.  In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world”. John 16:33

Wrapped….

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The after effect of resting in the the Mystery of the Molding?…

Coming into the vastness of the Love of God.

The finite…enters the infinite….

boundaries melt away.

Heart expands beyond the fleshly vessel.

Even the prayers of praise and thanksgiving are but tiny whispers

within the largeness of this extravagant Love.

For words cannot contain, express, or verbalize…

this Unconditional Love.

Like a soft wrap enveloping inside and out…

Enfolded in God’s Glory!

“That the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thes 1:14