Advent/Sabbath Sunday..a Study..Day 22

BETRAYAL

Parker Palmer a spiritual writer of the Quaker tradition, says that community is the place where the person you least want to live with….always lives.

Community is not a place where you love each other warmly, freely and affectionately. Community is actually where you are cleansed, where your love is tested. It is a place where your “Child of God” is put through the real challenge of human relationships. So….in reality community is a place where Judas sometimes lives….and sometimes it is you also. 

Matthew 10:1-4

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles; first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddarus; Simon the  Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him. 

PRAYER

Lord I accept your journey of living, loving and serving in community as a necessary membership in humanity. I understand that my church, my family and my neighborhood  is my path, where I will find You in humanness along with imperfections, especially my own.

 

*AMEN *

…..this Sabbath Day I light the candles of peace, hope, joy and Love….

Advent…a Study…SUN – Day 8

COMPASSION REQUIRES SOLIDARITY

Compassion makes us “die” to others; to our neighbors and our brothers. No need to measure your compassion and kindness to others, just be compassionate and don’t worry about how much you give out.  Just give. Don’t judge or measure their worthiness.  You give by being compassionate. One might say, be willing to die to “self” for the sake of others.

• •••••••••• •

Luke 6:37-38

JUDGING OTHERS

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned, Forgive, and you will be forgiven, give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

PRAYER

My compassionate and every loving Father in heaven….give us compassion, so that any harsh behaviors or feelings we might possess, will be overcome by the spirit of a giving heart. As we know you are present in every human being, so help deliver us from our own seeds of harsh judgement. We must not let this prevent us from being with “the other.” Grant to us…your compassionate spirit throughout all the days of our lives. In Jesus holy and previous name we pray.

AMEN

….and now we illuminate the “peace and hope” candles.

 

My Sabbath Day

Dec 4 Luke 2:7

AWAY IN A MANGER

“And she gave birth to her first born Son; and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger…”

▶︎ LISTEN TO THE DEVOTIONAL

“Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head…” It’s a warm, tender hymn that’s a favorite from our childhood. But we run into trouble when we try to keep Jesus in the manger. We can handle a Holy Infant that we celebrate a few weeks out of the year. After all, a baby makes no demands. But when Baby Jesus leaves the manger and becomes the “grown up” Jesus who wants to rule and reign in our hearts, we have trouble with that. We must never forget that the manger sits in the shadow of the cross. Yes, there’s a time to celebrate the Babe of Bethlehem, but we must let Jesus outgrow the manger and become the Savior on Mt. Calvary. So I ask you – Where is Jesus today? Is He “away in a manger,” or is He alive in your heart? My Sabbath Prayer Dear Jesus, I accept thee into my heart, my soul and into my whole being this Sabbath morning. My heart is full of You. Thank you for my long life, my many blessings and my relationship with you. Amen

Do You Stand Out and Stand Up

Sunday Nov 20

Philippians 2:13

“For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

▶︎ LISTEN TO THE DEVOTIONAL

If you and I were jerked out of the world, would we leave a noticeable hole? Would anything be missing from the world that would stand for God in Christ or His righteousness? God did not create us to merely exist. He wants to make a difference in this world through your life and mine. You see, God made us to stand out and to stand up for Him, and He equips us with everything we need to do just that. So take time to thank God for the work He is doing in you and look for ways you can work for His good pleasure by being a blessing to others. Prayer…..Sunday Evening  My Lord…. Teach me  I wish to be a blessing to others. I do this in one way, and that’s working in my folks gardens. I take my iPhone and my speaker with me to my client job sites. I find my favorite music soundtrack and I listen to what I refer to as “your music.” Your music is prayer, it is spiritual, it is worship, it is my time with you. Most often my clients will come out to “catch up” with me as I tend their gardens. When they are chatting with me they sometimes ask me about my beautiful music. I know it stands out. They hear it. It is intentional in some ways, and yet it’s really your music that keeps  me steadfast, grounded and faithful and close to you. I am then Faithful to my tasks for my clients.  Sometimes they acknowledge my music. Sometimes they do not. It’s fine. You are with me, you are in me and so together we are opening doors, we are opening hearts and we are building and nurturing souls one client at a time. You are making a difference in me and them, through your life and mine together in my gardens. Yes Lord….we are nurturing souls. Thank you Lord for your songs. Amen……

My Sabbath Sunday

How Great Thou Art

 

Oh Lord, my God

When I, in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art,

……how great Thou art.

My Prayer For SUNDAY

Oh Lord My God, thou art gracious, kind and loving. You are always there for me….always watching over me. All I need do is call your name, Jesus…..my Lord and my Savior God you are my steadfast love. The birds of the air are everywhere and you are watching over them as well. Assurance to know that no matter what comes my way…. You are there to bless me, to catch me if I fall, to love me with a greater love than I can possibly imagine. So when trials or difficulties come, all I need to do is connect with you. All I need to do is to call out your name Jesus, confess my sin and vow to follow you as my Savior God, and you will find me and save me. How great thou art!

I once was lost….but now I am found.

Matthew 6:26

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Good Morning……

……Gardening Friends, 

I will be around to water and tidy (assuming your spigot has not been turned off) and if it has, and you are up to it …..you can pass me containers of water to put around your plants/bushes. I think only two of you have the freeze-free spigot.

I’m just coming later this morning because I’m waiting for “mother natures” sun/warmth, and hopefully the wind might die down a bit.

I’m also trying to be respectful of our “Sunday “ relax time/sleep in” resident neighbors.

Ill txt upon arrival.

Thank you so much!

“CONTESSA”

Sabbath Sunrise….day light….Sunday – Nov 6

Praises….Glory To God in the highest, and peace to His People on earth.

6:33 am

6:34 am
“a rainbow”

……and Peace to his people on earth. We praise you we bless you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory.

My Sabbath Prayer

Good morning my Father God……thank you for the little shower this early morning. Our remaining few flowers can use this nourishment. They are thirsty. We praise your kindness.

I thank you for a beautiful week and my wonderful work in my gardens  I’m  putting  beds to sleep for the winter, but I’m also doing some spring prep at the same time  My patrons count on me to take care of them and in my heart I’m tending their yards, but I’m also silently caring for their hearts. I offer prayers as I’m doing my thing in their yards  Each has life’s challenges. This is life…. and I’m keenly aware that my intercessions can help to bring them some of your “peace” that passes all understanding. Thank you my Lord and Savior God, for your precious  “peace.” You give it to all. It is free and your invitation to accept it is always  there for each of us to claim. It is an ever open invitation. How great is your goodness to us. Thank you for spiritual reflection on your Sunday Sabbath. AMEN!

My Sabbath Song

1 Corinthians 13:7-13

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part. but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three;

but the greatest of these is love.

Prayer

“Growing” in Your Love

Dearest Jesus….. hear my song and my praises. Thank you for your love. Please take me into your love, the love that I can never earn. I confess that I fail…..and I do not always deserve your forgiveness. My human self believes that this love is something I earn. I believe that others will only love me if I act as if I love  them. Your love for me has no bounds, and cannot be withdrawn. I am in awe. My Father God….. grant me the grace to grow in this gift of perfect love from You.

• AMEN •

 

 

Sunday…My Sabbath

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Dear God thank you for this beautiful morning. Your sun tried very hard this morning at 7:11 am. We have your clouds reminding us that our week is going to be a bit more chilly as a small weather front has moved in. The leaves are turning to such beauty now. We thank you that by mid-day you will bring a little warmth. Blessings come from you every moment. We are very grateful.

Thank you for giving me a chance to see and enjoy this Sabbath day.

Thank you for loving me even though I have some sin. Thank you for forgiving me of my sins, even ones I committed unknowing. I regret any sin. I am full of sorrow in my soul, for having offended thee.

As I start my day I thank you for your love, your guidance and your protection. I ask that you direct my path and teach me the right things to do and say. Let my words and actions be ones that bring honor to your Holy name.

Thank you Lord for answering my “special intention” prayer, through Jesus Christ I now pray.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

 

• AMEN •

 

Sabbath Day Gratitude

TITUS 3:5

…..he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit

[6] whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

[7] so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

•••••••••••••••

Thank you God for saving us/me.

We cannot know the depth by which You….. our Saving God protects us. The mystery of your saving Grace which brings us to your great Hope of Eternal Life.

How can we comprehend these truths? By faith, by hope and through Your great Love for us….WE BELIEVE.

FATHER …….THANK  YOU FOR SAVING US……

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is said to have a purifying, cleansing effect, similar to  “Sage,” that clears away any negative energy in the space it’s burned in. The plant can also be used in sachets and charm bags for good health and protection.