Tuesday, May 26, 2020

PROTECTION

"But I will sing of your strength in the morning, 
I will sing of your love;
For you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
Psalm 59:16
A National Park that doesn't get too many visitors each year is one of my favorites.  Dry Tortuga National Park is located on one of the last islands in the Florida Keys.  You can only get there by boat or plane from Key West.  

Located on the island is Fort Jefferson, it was built during the years 1846-1875 but never finished.   Standing guard at the intersection of the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and the Atlantic it was "the most sophisticated and undeniable symbol that the US wanted to be left alone. Though never attacked, the fort fulfilled it's intended role.  It helped to protect the peace and prosperity of a young nation."

This coming Sunday, May 31st is Pentacost
It celebrates the day that the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles and believers in Christ to guide and protect them until the 2nd coming.
This day is said to mark the beginning of "the church."

The Holy Spirit is our fortress and guide.  

In the last three months we have experienced life as we could never have imagined. We have lived with uncertainty and fear of the unknown...but as Christians we are blessed to know that in ALL things, we are in God's loving and capable hands.  So now, we go forward in a new way.  Knowing we are protected and guided by the Holy Spirit in all that we do, and to the glory of God.
____

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Romans 15:13




Tuesday, May 19, 2020

PERSPECTIVE

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
James 1:2-4


"You can only gain perspective from a distance"

 Not too far from the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, near Asheville NC is a short hike to Craggy Pinnacle.  From here you have a 360 degree view of the Smokey Mountains ...and like life, sometimes it's easier to see the "Big Picture" when you're not smack dab in the middle of it.

So here we are.... communities are opening up again, people are getting out and about while practicing a new way of life.   There's still so much we don't know about our future and what it will be like.  What will school be like for our kids next year, church services, work environments...  What will our vacations look like, our weddings, our funerals?

I feel like God has pushed the re-set button on humanity.  When my computer acts up, I just turn it off and reboot... kind of like what we've been doing these past few months...and now it's time to reboot.  Power on!!  

 In my lifetime I've watched us step farther away from the values we grew up with... families, patriotism, selflessness, prayer, giving back to our community, even talking with each other seems to have been replaced by texts.  Our focused has turned more inward and impersonal.  I don't think that's a good thing, and not what God intended.  We need family, need community, we need to be part of something bigger than ourselves. 

There's so much going forward that we don't know... but there's so much we DO know.  All things will work for good, to the Glory of God.  

This Thursday is the Day of Ascension.  Jesus spent 40 days on earth after his resurrection teaching his disciples, knowing it was up to them to spread the Good News.  The way of life for centuries had been turned upside down with the resurrection of Christ.   I hope and pray we're learning the lesson.  To value family, friends and our freedom.  We can each do our part, share this Good News and with each other make this "new normal" of our lives a credit to Him.  

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

AWARENESS

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

Genesis 1:1, 1:31

ARTIST POINT AT YELLOWSTONE FALLS  -  YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

It was very, very good!!

I remember many years ago when my daughters were young taking them to the Butterfly Exhibit at the Museum of Natural Science in Houston.  We went down corridors and through several doors until we found ourselves in the midst of a tropical paradise... supposedly filled with butterflies, but where were they?  The harder we looked, the less we saw... but when we relaxed and became one with our environment, the forest seemed to open up and we saw thousands, everywhere!  

I kind of feel like that's how I've been the past few months.  At first I was glued to the TV, reading every article and obsessed with the rapidly spreading Coronavirus. Tunnel vision.  Then I relaxed a bit, and decided to focus on the here and now, and by staying at home and social distancing I feel like I have been renewed to the world around me, my world... in my backyard, or along the walks in the woods with my pup.   My mind used to be so busy, I don't think I really absorbed where I was and now that I've relaxed and settled into the rhythm of the day, the flowers are blooming bigger and brighter, I feel the breeze blow through my (getting longer by the day!) hair and the sounds of birds in the morning seems like they're singing a symphony of the Hallelujah Chorus! 

Earlier in March, during Lent I posted of Renewal.  And here we are in the thick of it, in every aspect of our daily life.  As our communities start to open up what an opportunity we have to see and do things differently than "before."  What was working and what wasn't?  Cities around the world are boasting of blue skies instead of smog... tiny fish, scuttling crabs and multicolored plant life can be seen in the canals of Venice, even the people I pass along the way seem friendlier, if even from a distance.... our world is going through a renewal process as well. 

I can already see a shift... in an awareness of what's around us and with that I want to go forward with this as my mantra...

Be kind and respectful to myself,
Be kind and respectful to others,
Be kind and respectful to our planet.


Peg P, from Hendersonville, TN is inspired by music, in particular the old hymns we loved to sing as children... I bet you know this one!

"For the Beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over an around us lies:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise."




Tuesday, May 5, 2020

ANGELS


"He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."
 Matthew 4:6b

ANGELS LANDING  -  ZION NATIONAL PARK
When I asked what inspires you, the overwhelming common denominator on most of your responses was about The People... our everyday Hero's! 

The people on the front line of health care and those on the front line caring for our safety, in the police and fire department, they are putting their lives at risk every day for our well being (in good times and bad!)  We are inspired by families taking care of young children or their elderly seniors.  The people that have been furloughed from their jobs and spend their time distributing meals to those in need.  I could go on and on....   We have always stepped up to the plate in times of need!  This is America!  It's what we do! 

These are not the only Angels among us.... our neighborhood kids are contributing by painting rocks to inspire us along the bike path, or making face masks to distribute to nursing homes... Our churches are distributing encouraging notes written by their congregation to seniors living facilities, the skies the limit on the possibilities!  So often we think it's the big things that change the world, but it's also the small things that collectively change the dialog of our day.

These "Everyday Hero's," are the angels among us. And you can be too... Look around for the opportunities, big or small, of ways you can be an angel to someone else and make their day a little bit better.

Oh, I believe there are Angels Among Us,
Sent down to us from somewhere up above.
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with a light of love.

Watch and listen to 
"There Are Angels Among Us"  
by Alabama