Journey into Forever

                                             "Yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope."                                                                        -Lamentations 3:21         Well, it's over.  December 26.  The presents are opened, the ham is eaten, the family is gone.  Back to "normal".  Whatever normal is.  Last night, while we were sitting i...

"The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai:  "Go to the great city of Ninevah and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me."  But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed to Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the L ORD .          - Jonah 1:1-3      We just watched the production of "Jonah" at Sight and Sound Theatres for the second time.  It is a powerful performance, with so many messages for us.  Although the play follows the scripture very closely, there are parts that have to be fictionalized to make it long enough to be a 2 1/2 hour production.  In this play, Jonah was angry with the Ninevites because during one of their sieges his father was killed.  The Bible does not state , however, why Jonah did not want the Ninevites to be spared....

" Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.  Mercy triumphs over judgment!"        - James 2: 12-13 "Love does no harm to its neighbor.  Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."        - Romans 13:10      I was unexpectedly spending the evening at the hospital with our grandson.  I knew he would be watching television, and I always have to have something to do when I'm sitting.  Can't just sit there....not made like that.  Anyway, I went to the gift shop to look for a book.  I found an author I had read before, the only author I recognized, and decided that was the safest bet.  I had no time to look and see what the book was about, but I knew this author wrote about issues of the day in a novel form.  And I knew she was a compelling writer.  The book was ...

"I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.  This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.  As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.  Now remain in my love."             -John 15:4-9      I was 10 years old, and I remember laying on my twin bed in the room I shared with my sister.  I was looking at the ceiling, listening to a radio station out of Chicago, I can't even remember the call letters now.  Thought I'd never forget them.  Anyway, I listened to this station every day, es...

Ok. I have to post this. Just too good not to share. It is written by the author I quoted yesterday, Tony Woodlief, as part of a piece about the beatitudes. In response to "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God", Tony writes:                "I have run, many times, from the love and law of God. Worse, I told myself it was He who had gone missing. "Where are You?" I would pray , though I was the one hiding. The state of our heart governs whether we hear His vo ... ice in our lives or see His face in creation. Purity of heart. That's an almost inconceivable concept in this world we've made. Who sees, anymore, through pure-hearted eyes?            I cannot help but think of my three-year-old daughter on her deathbed, no longer able to speak because of the tumor mashing into her brain stem But in a rare moment of lucidity and painlessness, ...

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.....We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.,  Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved.  But hope that is seen is no hope at all.  Who hopes for what he already has?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."                                                            -Romans 8:18,22-25      I have said t...

"Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."                         - Luke 9:23 "For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him."                         -Philippians 1:29           I love quilting.  I love looking at them, pinning them on Pinterest, planning them, thinking about making them, and making them.  I haven't done a lot of them, but my retirement plan is to change that.  I can go in a fabric store and stay for hours, just feasting my eyes on all there is to see.  My friend Belinda asked me a while back if I wanted to participate in a quilting c...

"Do not repay evil for evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."          - 1 Peter 3:9      I love how God starts working on something with us.  The idea is introduced to us, whether through experience, a sermon, Bible reading, an article we read, or an experience with another person.  Invariably, we hear it again, soon, in another way.  Depending on how slow we are to understand, we may keep hearing this same message in different ways for quite some time until we "get" it.  Oh yeah, God is telling me that.......       This time it was an experience, a sermon, and a conversation.  What was so funny was the same word, "Pricklies", was used in 2 of those situations.  Now since it is not a common word, I had to believe there was something going on here.  And there was.    ...

" So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."                        -1 Corinthians 10:31 "Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury.  Many rich people threw in large amounts.  But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.  Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.  They all gave out of their wealth, but she, out of her poverty, put in everything - all she had to live on."                        - Mark 12:41-44      A retreat is being planned in Aurora for the fal...

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?"                           -Matthew 6:25 "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief of all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."            1 Peter 1:6-9 ...

    "Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem.  Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before"         Daniel 6:10       "Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress."       - 1 Timothy 4:15      "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."       -Matthew 6:33          Well another year is in the books for the fireworks stand.  It was a different year.   Nothing was typical of years before.  We felt disorganized , stressed, and kind of out of touch with what was going on. Very busy, but somehow d...

"Everything is permissible for me but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me but I will not be mastered by anything."       - 1 Corinthians 6:12 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble whether Jews Greeks or the church of God----- even as I try to please everybody in every way for I am not thinking my own good but the good of many so that they may be saved."     -  1 Corinthians 10:31-33       We are getting a new baby next month.  I can hardly wait.  I love everything about watching them grow.  From the first smile to the teen attitude, every stage is wonderful to watch.  The youngest years are the most fun I think.  Watching a child learn to walk, talk, and develop her individual personality is great.  And everyone loves the baby.  Even the siblings don't tease or mistreat her. It is especia...

"Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience , which leads to righteousness?"                  - Romans 6:16      Have you ever read the story of Joshua and Jerico?  Not just singing the song, which many of us have sung through the years:            Joshua fit the battle of Jerico, Jerico, Jerico            Joshua fit the battle of Jerico            And the walls came tumblin' down. When you really think about that story, it's another incredible example of what God can do when He is obeyed.  Just imagine being told by God to walk around a city for 6 consecutive days, then on the 7...

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea."      - Mark 9:42    Shortly after I had grandchildren, I learned an important lesson.  I don't know why I hadn't learned this with my own kids.  I think I was just too busy to notice.  Anyway, I learned the concept of "monkey see, monkey do" is really true.    Down to the smallest thing.  Children copy what they see others do.  It's the only way they learn how to do things, by watching how others interact in the world.  It's why it is so important that we try to be sure that everything they see and hear is appropriate, something they can learn positive things from.  As a child, teen, and young adult, I participated in many things I should not have.  Probably one of the most damaging things...