A dragon lives forever but not so little boys


1. What is your local lake/river/sea? Clear Lake Bay extending off the Gulf Coast

2. Do you believe in dragons and unicorns? No

3. What is your favorite fruit? Nectarine

4. Do you smoke? No

5. Friday fill-in:
Together they would walk the road to Emmaus.

Current Mood: blah

That's the title of one of my favorite books (Christ In the Silence), now out of print, by C.F.Andrews (1933). The author takes the reader to the upper room on the last night of Jesus' life where He and His disciples share a final meal - the Passover meal - where feet are washed, small talk is made, and Judas executes his betrayal. 

But the book is much more; it's about being in the silence so that one can "...be still and know that [He is] God." (Ps 46:10) Where silence is truly golden and Christ can be heard when He speaks to the heart that is listening.

A friend of mine has a favorite quote: "Never discuss your problems with someone who cannot solve it. Silence cannot be misquoted." Isn't this so true? I wish I had remembered to ask her the source of that quote. Stillness and silence is something I practice too little of. I was reminded of this in an email I received and I wish to reprint it as a reminder.  For me. No one else but me. For self-examination. My memo that Christ can be found in the silence. The following is a copy of that reprint:

The best thing about being right, when you are right, is that you can be quiet about it. You don't have to say a thing. The truth lets itself be known. Remember this in the discourses of life. God will send events to defend you.

Arguing rarely solves anything, and stokes the power of the enemy.

Are there times we have to speak up? Are there occasions that we have to talk in our own defense? Are there times we have to be firm?

Of course. There are times we have to let others know they have hurt us. There are times we have to warn. There are times we have to admonish, especially those who are younger.

Silence is not always golden. 

But often -- most often, in the midst of turmoil -- we don't regret what we have not said.

Talking is a plague of our time. Everyone talks. They talk constantly. They talk at home. They talk on the phone. They talk in the car. They talk on the phone in the car. They talk at work. They talk on the computer. They listen to talk radio. On television -- while we talk again on the phone, or with each other -- are the talking heads.

Would not that it be talking hearts!

To talk to the extent we do opens us to evil because it is hard to talk that long without entering into [fault-finding], pretension, or gossip.

"He who guards his mouth and tongue," says Proverbs (21:23) "guards his soul from troubles."

Often, we wish we could take words (or tone of voice) back. We say what we wish we had not. Strife occurs. Why keep going through this? The tongue is a fire that can consume us. It says this too in Scripture. A tongue can be "a sharp sword," says Psalm 57:4. It's hard not to complain -- to verbally fight back -- when we are insulted. It's hard not to complain when loved ones don't listen -- when they leave you open to hurt (or even danger, physical or otherwise). It's hard not to holler at those who wrong you.

But in many circumstances there is the power of forgiveness, docility, and silence. The most powerful night in history was a silent one.

When we restrain our tempers in the midst of temptation we graduate to a level that brings a grace, and that grace causes events to speak for us -- loudly. Look at Jesus!

We are not to do so with bitterness. We are not to do so with relish. We are not to use the "silent treatment" as a flog (which is a form of malice). We're to forgive and inform and move on. Mainly, it has to do with debate. It has to do with senseless disputes.

Silence clears the air.

Silence lets us see the other side.

Silence invites prayer.

Loudly proclaim the dangers of today, yes; loudly admonish evil; loudly warn when there is the presence of the demonic.

But discipline yourself not to react to everything.

"If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless," says James (1:26 and 3:6). "The tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell."

This we can do without!

The solution?

Discipline. It is the key to most problems. It is certainly the key to keeping the mouth shut.

When antagonistic thoughts enter your mind, say, "Jesus, think this for me."

Jesus, think that thought....

"Jesus, think this for me!"

When you are tempted to react verbally, especially if it is antagonistic, say, "Jesus speak for me."

Jesus speak through my voice...

"Jesus speak for me." Say it until there is peace.

When you need to do something in correction, say: "Jesus, act through me."

Jesus act for me. 

Jesus... Jesus... It is the most powerful word on earth, and it transforms us into funnels of the Holy Spirit, through Whom truth becomes as clear as it is loud. 

~For the Heart Ministry~

Current Mood: introspective

If you won $100 this afternoon, what would you do with it?

Give the first 10% to my church (set it aside). The remainder would have to be used on paying another monthly incoming bill, I'm afraid. At least until I'm gainfully employed once again. *I really want to get those Christening gowns going and selling. I'm tired of nursing*

Current Mood: sore

I've seldom been a member of a congregation where their babies were christened during their infancy. I know it's a practice among many denominations and constitutes the same as their baptism. Bob and I have always felt that our children should make that decision of faith and be baptized at a time when they felt they understood what they were doing. We're certainly not alone; many denominations practice the same.

We've been a member of the current church we attend for three years now and this is the first time we've had babies baptized among us. I have no real complaint about it; scripture isn't real clear on how old one must be to be baptized. The jailer who believed Paul's message of the Gospel in prison was baptized that same night, "...he and all his household." So we know it was common practice to baptize whole families when the man of the home made a Gospel decision to be a Christian and no one really knows how old the members of some of these households were. They could easily have been babies, I suppose. Then again, immersion was the standard for baptism and I doubt they immersed their babies (?) Who really knows but God?

Anyhow, our congregation holds the belief that the christening (or baptism) of their infants simply means they vow to bring up their children in the Lord Jesus Christ. The parents even recite their knowledge before the congregation that they realize their babies are innocent at this time but when they grow up to an age of accountability (another mystery that only God knows) they will have to make their own decision for Christ. In other words, their baptism doesn't save them. However, I've noticed that the ones who have been brought up in this denomination, upon making their own public decision for Christ, are seldom baptized again. The baptism of their infancy seems to suffice between them and God. I don't hold to this view myself but then, I'm not God and I won't be doing the judging. My own interpretation of scripture needs to remain open to the Spirit's teaching and enlightening at all times.

All this to say I've decided to start making christening gowns again. I've made them before by special request but I think I'm going to see about taking orders and getting more serious about it. I don't sew - I crochet. So these gowns take a lot of time but people want these christening gowns for several reasons: 1) their baby will only be a baby one time, 2) their baby's christening is a one time, special event, and 3) people want to keep their baby's christening gowns as heirlooms to pass down the family line. All very good reasons for me to be doing something I love doing anyway (crochet) and make some extra money to help my husband with monthly expenses. 

I'm including a picture of one that I did a number of years ago for a lady who was having her granddaughter christened. She wanted the shorter gown version and no cap (or bonnet) so the blanket, gown and booties are all she wanted and all I made her. I have a much longer gown version, a boy's version, and a few other variations I can offer. I hope the picture can be seen. When  I make a complete set this upcoming week I will be sure to have the lighting just right as well as a good background and a close up. For now, this amateur photo shot is all I have to offer for this entry. I guess I'm going to need a place on-line to take orders as well. Babies come in all sizes and people have them christened at all infant ages. I have to have the age and approx weight of the baby making this a business where people have to place an order and have it tailored made. 

It worked for the few I did it for in the past; I just never made a business out of it. Seeing all those babies being baptized in our congregation however, made me realize just how many people in this country (world?) have their babies christened. And they all want an heirloom they can keep, remember, and pass down the generational line.

 It's time to go shopping for baby yarn.

Current Mood: busy

It's hard work keeping a music site up and running smoothly. The updates need checking on every couple of days and new uploads need to be added when time allows. I find I am spending far more time at the site then I initially wanted to do but it's to the glory of God; so I do.

It's not my site, per se, but a site that hosts any uploaded content I choose to display within the confines of my own personalized pages. It doesn't offer subscriptions to use the site so ads are a real nuisance sometimes but one gets used to them after a while. The main thing is people can come and find a song they like, copy the html coding and embed it wherever they wish. For free. It costs them nothing but the time it takes to search out the song. If you've ever tried finding real music on the web without having to pay for it you've discovered that midis are in abundance but the wav files are rare, as they are found on CDs. 

This site, however, only hosts MP3s so one has to have a converter for any CD they wish to upload. This is a good thing really. For every wav file one can fit 10 MP3 files into that same slot. No wonder MP3s are the latest in listening to music. Actually, MP4s (or something to that effect) are now out and you can find those at iTunes (an Apple music store). While I can play the MP4 files I can't convert them to MP3s nor have a converter for such. I just hope they don't make my MP3s obsolete. I've uploaded nearly 500 MP3s over the past several months. 

The site is primarily for Christian music but I've recently began adding playlists for movie soundtracks/scores and even have one musical in its entirety uploaded. Add to that all the music I've collected from other Christians who have music I don't have (it's a place to share the content, remember) and the playlists are will endowed. But all this takes work. Time. And upkeep. 

I'm not working right now so it's a bit easier to maintain than when I was working 105 hours for hospice. But I have this list of things I want to do; I need to do. And I'm finding the days are far too short for all I want need to do. Besides my two journals online (one being more a Christian witness than anything), I have my daily Bible reading schedule along with some form of study that I try to include with it. I'm working through another Beth Moore series (my 5th one for her) and I love the intense study she takes her ladies through. 

I realize most of my must do list is self-imposed so I'm not complaining, really. I'm looking for a better time management regime. Any ideas? Anyone? Here's a list of what I consider must dos in my weekly life:

*Daily Bible reading (I do this in the evening as this is the Hebrew start of the new day and I find I'm more alert for reading at that hour)

*Bible study

*Online journaling

*Devotional/reflections journaling (these are in books made expressly for such)

*My Life's Legacy (a journal of my life with prompts to leave for my children one day)

*Crochet projects that need completing

*Cross stitch projects that need completing 

*Embroidery projects that need completing (there's a pattern emerging here)

*Working on my nativity card project (an on-going project that I began as a child. I collect nativity cards and arrange them in albums. *I know. I'm weird that way.*)

*Maintaining and uploading music to my music site

*Preparing my home for the Sabbath each week (this means laundry done, home vacuumed, dinner prepared)

*Did I mention prayer? (I realize prayer ought to be ceaseless, as the Apostle Paul tells us; but a time comes when one needs to get with her Lord in the silence somewhere. I find I need this more than I need any of the above, with the exception of Bible reading, of course).

So that's it. That's my must do, have to, need to small list of things to organize into a neat little time management schedule. All suggestions welcomed.

Current Mood: thankful

Thank goodness it's Friday; I'm looking forward to a restful weekend. My home is in order after two days of cleaning and shopping, dinner is simmering on the stove for tonight's Sabbath meal, and the search for a new nursing position will take a back seat to worship, family and friends for the weekend. The ringer on the phone will be switched to voice mail only (never know when the family may call with an emergency).

Quite honestly, with the exception of hospice, I work much harder as a homemaker than I do as a nurse. Hospice is different, however. There's nothing quite so personal as being a part of someone's death. But while I'm busy looking for just the right nursing position (a difficult task when the options are so limited due to one very bad car accident) I'm busy being full-time wife and homemaker to my husband. He's loving every minute of it - and so am I.

And let's not forget the kids! I know - "but they're all grown now" - I get told. Guess what? They're never too old to call their mother and they do so regularly. I'm blessed by this but some days that phone...well...the number of calls sometimes...let me just say that I love my girls with an undying passion. But "thank God it's Friday" and for voice mail. Oh yes, I truly thank God, Himself, for Friday's activities that teeter on the edge of God's Sabbath. It's a special time to be able to bring the ordinary to a complete stop.

I get asked why I take my Sabbath rest on the same day of the week as the Jewish folks do, and not on the first day of the week as my Christian brethren.  And one could argue that the Sabbath was never done away with (of course it wasn't. Why would God let 1/10th of His Commandments fall from the stone He carved it in, but keep the other nine? Doesn't make sense when you think about it)  and true enough; the Sabbath is still the Sabbath. So who changed the day? 

No one did. All the apostles of the first century observed the Sabbath as did all the saints of the first century church. History and Scripture shows that Jewish (and Gentile) believers  attended the local synagogues on the Sabbath and met with other believers in Jesus on the first day of the week, to take up offerings for the needy within the church. Often times they had a guest speaker or preacher as is narrated by Luke in the Book of Acts. Paul talked so long one night that he put one listener to sleep! LOL

Some argue that "Sabbath" means "seventh" while others argue that "Sabbath" means "rest". I think I can make a case for either one and am so glad we are saved by grace and not by observing the right day of the week for Sabbath. I honestly believe the Scriptures teach us that the Sabbath was made for us, for our own good, and we are the more blessed if we delight in God's Sabbath and take that rest, whether that rest be Friday sundown to Saturday sundown or Saturday to Sunday, or even Sunday morning to Monday morning. 

For preachers and their wives and other teachers of the Scriptures, Sundays are a day of work and busy-ness. There is little rest for the preacher or minister of a thriving active church. All would agree that Sunday isn't a Sabbath for them; they often take that day on Monday.

So why Friday sundown? Because I love the Jewish Sabbath and our "salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). I love the candle lighting and the challah bread my husband slices, as he thanks our Lord and our God for the bread from the earth and the Bread of Life. I love the thanksgiving each week for the fruit of the vine and all it's symbolism (the blood of Christ and the fruit of the Spirit we bring forth in Him). I especially love to hear my husband call each of our daughters by name and ask God's blessing in their lives, in the lives of their husbands and their children. I love that our home comes to a grinding halt for 24 hours so we can rest.

So, what do we do or not do on the Sabbath? How do we just stop?  For me that means no work, no computer (this has often become a chore and requires time the other six days - so, no computer for 24 hours), no shopping or figuring the checkbook. Instead, I sleep in a bit longer, watch inspirational DVDs, read inspirational books, write in inspirational journals, play board games with my husband (we still love these games even though the girls are grown), go for a walk around the water and the levy, visit with our grandchildren (when they're available), and just relax and bask in God's goodness and grace. 

Saturday sundown marks the close of the Sabbath and the beginning of the new work week, and I find it especially appropriate that we worship that day, on Sunday, in preparation for the remainder of the week to come. We also hold Bible study in our home Sunday afternoons with early dinner hosted (and you're all invited). What better way to begin the week? What better way to end it? 

Pardon me, but I shall take my leave now. My dinner is nearly finished and my husband is due to arrive home any minute, smelling of concrete and sweat, and sure to be hungry and tired. Shabbat dinner is a welcomed event in our home as we gratefully take our Sabbath rest. 

Shalom aleichem!  שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם
(Peace be unto you!)
 
  

Current Mood: grateful

So, where am I? 

New journal. Clean slate. Virtually no one knows me here. I am elsewhere and no where, needing roots to plant for a while.

Where have I been?

No where. Everywhere. The cyber world is huge, you know. My eyes are bleary and my posture ergonomically challenged; my ears are still ringing with the sounds of cyber traffic. But I'm here in this place where it's quiet and serene. No one knows me here in the wonder of silence. 

Where do I go from here? 

I'm thinking crisp, cool sheets and the air in my mattress. The pressing matters of life must pause for a while. Sound waves and satellites will continue their rush hour traffic; music will compress and squeeze through phone lines and routers; processors will move with great speed covering fragmented files. And for the night it will go on...without me.

Current Mood: exhausted