John 15:7-11 ~ Abide †

 

John 15:7-11

If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. 9 As the Father has Loved me, so have I Loved you. Abide in My Love. 

10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His Love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that My Joy may be in you, and that your Joy may be full.

Don't we all have conversations we remember and think over again. This week I was remembering a comment at work from 1988 and realized I was going to let that one go and quit boring myself. I said to the Lord, that must have just bored you to tears. Chagrin.

Another conversation was from 2009, a Bible Class of working to do altar projects. We were talking about one of the widows had moved into a 55 and older neighborhood. She said as a younger widow, her old neighborhood had forgotten her. Moved along. No young widowhood for them.  And she had high expectations, and found they were all couples and did the outings seated by age group and married. And then she needed to find another option, the Church and programs to help the Church itself. She said she was not going to become a bitter, complaining, hormonal widow, so sour.  And another woman said, I've lost more than half of my friends at age 60. Oh, they passed on? No, they complain constantly. Bitter. 

That created a lull in the conversation. Not for boredom, because then all 10 women jumped into the conversation. How family divides over bitterness. Wrangling.  Who was parted, the people who would never part.  One of my good friends lost her 12 years of school, best of the best friends, parted because my very brilliant friend lost her best friend to college or no college. Her no college friend said end of the line. I don't want to see your vacations, your house, your car and your life.

The oldest lady in the group, the one who kicked off the conversation, young now older widow said, by age 60 you have decided.  And she stopped. Her mouth snapped shut.  Mary was asked what she was going to say. 

I'd read a news article this week and I answered. At age 60, you decide if you lived life well, or you had had a life pass you by.  And Mary said, you let that cat out of the bag with a snap. 

My Grandhmother, Anita. When it came time to divide up her household at her passing at age 94, my brother said no thanks, she was just simply cursed. You keep allll that.  I was astonished. Grandmother was definitely an anxiety laden, faithful person. Anita was gratitude happy personified.  Age 94. The world was her oyster from her front porch and garden. 

Anita had learned the art of Gratitude. 

Lost her estate, 1 year in an iron lung for pneumonia, the year before antibiotics were invented. Lost her husband that year. At home with a nurse for 2 years. Lost her inheritance to crooks. Had her family. Graduated from "Normal College" in an era no women really graduated, did they? Anita did. Bounced back. Fed people, about 25 men, daily, from her backdoor during the Great Depression.

Quickly I rented a truck, and got her household goods. Anita had good taste.  I have her dining room table, it resembles a library table.  Glad I do.

Glad I do. Life doesn't always give us golden opportunities. And we must make the most of those we have. Anita wore her wedding band for 50 extra years. Every life we have known, teaches us to work the tasks given to us.  Work with all your heart, mind and soul and the Lord will take care of our efforts. 

Life isn't always sweet, but have been given good days. Repeat. Again. 

The Joy of the Lord is our strength.  Goodness and Mercy shall follow my footsteps all the days of my life. Making our steps firm. Joy.

Live a life you call worthy.  Repeat.

With God all things are possible.

Italy has 

La Bella Vita

The Good Life

For millenniums, Italy has made what it could, of every opportunity. Seeking prosperity and lending itself to architecture and art.  Making Blessings Abound.

Suddenly in the Middle Ages, the Italian desert was fought over. A desert? Indeed.

 Not the green, verdant Italy. Clay. Clay soil. Clay terraced. Taking what they had and making La Bella Vita. Dry Clay. The Accona desert. Monte Oliveto Maggiore. So dry, they reminded ... people of the Middle East. Mount of Olives.  And their gift, clay. In the Middle Ages, suddenly this was the area of profit. They made superlative Bricks. Siena.  Building all of Italy.

Vineyards drawing from Noah's Flood. The seabed has left deposits making the wine superlative. Siena. Finding the hidden blessings. Fossils. 

A washout. Monte Oliveto. They build the monetary for St Benedictine monks. It was harsh and in-hospital land. The mountains washed away. The rivers didn't drain. The monks began planting the iconic forest of Italian Cypress Trees the world has come to see in Italian tourism. They reclaimed desert and made celebrated beauty. 

From washout 

to

Making incredible forests

from

desert

This drew

Culture

Artists

Education

The beginning

of 

the 

Renaissance

The Pilgrimage

of people going to Rome

to see the tombs of Peter and Paul.

Cypress ladden roads

leading to 

Roman roads

And our

lives

and

journeys

paths

of

today

Journey well 

Journey well 

With God all things are possible.

Abba, Father,

Praying for

Peace.

And a few more things

while

Abiding in The Lord.

Dwell in me,

Dwell in us,

Dwell in those we Love,

Help us to seek You first.

And we will finish well, 

in Jesus Christ. 

Help us seek and find 

and bring,

to become,

 more Heaven

to this earth.

Please

continue

to 

pray

for

Peace in our lives

in our home

and 

the healing of our skin.

Your Mercy,

Oh Lord,

is

Precious to us.

Deliver us from

Evil

and we rejoice.

Let evil depart 

from our families

and have Peace.

Thank You

for

our

Blessings!!!

And in Jesus - This Hope.

Faith and Love - we will rise up Believing Jesus.

Amen

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You, Jesus