“The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearances, but the LORD looks at the heart.”(1 Samuel 16:7)Several years ago I had the opportunity to spend time with a person I had only known for a few years. Our paths had crossed in several classes at church but that was the extent of our interactions. She had invited me over to have a conversation about end-of-life matters. What I never would have guessed, as I prepared to…
“You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; In your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm16:11 “For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.” Psalm 92:4 “Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth;” Psalm 66:1 In the last eight months I admit that I have rarely thought about what makes me joyful. I have tended to focus on what is making…
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, until the destroying storms pass by. Psalm 57:1“How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 36:7“Let me abide in your tent forever, Find refuge under the shelter of your wings.” Psalm 61:4 How easy it is for me to forget where my refuge and strength…
“People were bringing little children to him so that he might touch them…” (Mark 10:13a) For me, one of the greatest losses, since COVID-19 hit and changed our lives, has been the loss of touch. I deeply miss being able to hug friends and even shake hands with strangers. I’m lucky in that I have a spouse that I can and do touch and two cats who provide me lots of opportunities for snuggles and pets. Yet I miss the opportunity for those…
“Be at peace among yourselves”1 Thessalonians 5:23b“May grace and peace be yours in abundance”1 Peter 1:2cRecently, as I was skimming through the list of various responses to Facebook posts that I had made that day I had a revelation. It sounds so simple and logical that I’m almost embarrassed to share it. While most of my friends on Facebook and I share the same political views, I do have several friends who are the polar opposite of me. I also have a couple…
When I sat down to write for ‘my day’ for Treasure Valley Prays my mind was focusing on two different paths. One was how envious I have been feeling lately that other people are heading out on vacations and I’m not. I want to get out of town and head someplace fun or relaxing, but I just don’t feel like it is safe enough to do yet. Then I thought about how much time I had when the pandemic first started. I made…
This is my song, O God of all the nations,a song of peace for lands afar and mine.This is my home, the country where my heart is;here are my hopes, dreams, my holy shrine;but other hearts in other lands are beatingwith hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean,and sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine.But other lands have sunlight too, and clover,and skies are everywhere as blue as mine.So hear my song, O God of…
Today is the third Sunday in June which means it’s Father’s Day. Now, just like Mother’s Day is for some people, not everyone gets excited to celebrate Father’s Day. It can be a painful day if you grew up without a father, or if your father was distant or abusive. It can also be painful for some men who wanted to be a father but never were able to for a variety of reasons.
“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress.”Psalm 25:16-17“I am like an owl of the wilderness, like a little owl of the waste places.I lie awake; I am like a lonely bird on the housetop.’ Psalm 102:6-7“And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."Matthew 28:20cLast Sunday my husband and I did something we had not done for over three months.…
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29 Early into this pandemic and our sheltering-in-place I started talking to people about their feelings of grief. In March and April perhaps you were feeling sad, irritable or unsettled. A friend told me that she was feeling…
“Do not give yourself over to sorrow, and do not distress yourself deliberately. A joyful heart is life itself, and rejoicing lengthen s one’s lifespan. Indulge yourself and take comfort, and remove sorrow far from you, for sorrow has destroyed many and no advantage ever comes from it. Jealously and anger shorten life, and anxiety brings on premature old age.” Sirach 30:21-24 Sirach is one of the books in the Apocrypha. Is anyone else out there a Facebook junkie? Is anyone else out…
Copyright 2020 – All rights reserved
Design – Carlson-Creative.com
