Mark 8:22-26 ~ He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.

Mark 8:22-26

They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 

23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. 

When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

24 He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 

26 Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”



This week I've gone mostly every day to the Chapel in Presbyterian Hospital, Dallas. To hear what God has to say. When I go into the Chapel as I worship, I will fling open the Bible and the Bible will spill forth to me - the Conversation of the Vast Attributes of Jesus Christ, His Father and the Holy Spirit. If God is willing, the conversation will fill me with awe and wonder for weeks.




The Bible is the Word of God. I love reading the Word. I Love the Lord and He covers me with His name, Jesus the Lord.

Remarkable?
My Mother was dying last week - fling open the Bible and Proverbs 12 yields up
 "The Righteous do not die."

If... you... believe... you have been given the Balm of Gilead. To return to find Mother is able to say one word and she says her one word...."FATHER?" When you know Mother, you see no fear, but you see you've been given that one word from a Pneumonia Patient capable of one word on maximum oxygen. So you complete the sentence and ask Mother, "You want me to Pray?" Emphatic nod goes forth - but minus fear. Prayer happens. Then a brisk nod from the pneumonia patient.

God's Job, His Conversation, His Delight, His Words - are completed in a Circle of Love. Yes. His Word is very important.







Now after a week of one day death, one day miracle, one day more recovery is needed - well - you know your soul has been in effect emery board bruised.


And Church is needed. Now the idea of Worship is placing your heart before God.

Now, The New Testament will tell you - getting in Church - in Bible Study - in Ministry - is work. Like getting in  Carpenter Chapel and flinging open the Bible. The Word of God. Seeing God tell us about Himself. The Bible was written for you. Every Word. Lasting millenniums, for us today. Every Day.

In fact, we would NOT have but only 3 Gospels of Jesus Christ's ministry if we had ... quitters. John Mark was not very appreciated by Paul. Eventually Mark grew to not only accompany Barnabas, but was with the nitty gritty end of Paul, Peter with Luke and Silvanus.


Bruised. Sure. Life calls for bruises. And endurance, hope, grit, faith and overcoming with Love.

In fact... there is not one individual in the New Testament who loves people the way Father God loves people. That Word is Honest. Reliable. Enduring and tells that people will let you down and provide an opportunity for - a solution.





Ecclesiastes paints a picture of an old age house A soul, if you will.



Ecclesiastes House. And I personally had a house in our family from 1917 to 1999 show this type of aging. And this comes from lack of sharing. Isolation. Grieving with Anger being the Strength.


Ghostbusters says "Who you gonna call?" The Truth is - The New Testament. And if the New Testament says that it's rough out there, like Rodney Dangerfield - Believe you me, The Bible is where we are going To Believe What is What. The New Testament witnesses to the struggle of relationships in the Body of Christ. Of the struggle of just - LIFE.






Church. What is the actual point of Church if you can read the Bible and tune into God.
Something Jesus Christ prophesied about. Something Jesus expects of us.


This last Sunday morning I had a Moses morning, an Isaiah morning, a John of Revelation morning with reading Matthew 8. The Light of the World filled me. I was completely satisfied. I'd prayed and prayed for all the prayer needs I know of. And was brought to Jesus in the complete meaning of the phrase "Come to Jesus."

Imagine. See. Hear.  Does your heart strangely warm?


Jesus is Busy.
He is the Son of - God.
And the blind man is walking with - JESUS.
Jesus doesn't say "Ok, quickly, quickly, go around the side corner and go in the side door and ditch the crowd."

Jesus the Savior. The Hero. God who decided the Universe needs - YOU.

Jesus holds the hand of the needy, the weak, the despairing.

Jesus takes that hand and they walk far. This is JOY to Jesus.

Chapter 14, 15, 16, 17 of John. Luke 1, 2. Matthew 2 are telling us Jesus loved Life. He finds His Creation - GOOD.

Jesus is about to do something Jesus finds Enjoyable
Thrilling
Worth HIS Time
to walk out of town
and be Himself.
And make another person Whole. Holy.
With wit. Verve. Zest. Salt. Light. "Hey, man, Don't Even GO to that Bethsaida Village."

So if we can get our relationship on with Jesus and the Bible. Why the heck would we want to fuss with Church. Going to a Service. Why not TV Church. I am me. You are you, end of story.


Not the end of the story that Billy Graham talks about. This His Story is an ongoing, amazing, wondrous, boring, white water, thrilling, chilling, heart warming this is Dan and this is God revelation. We are all headed in the same direction. Jesus Christ.

If you, the Body of Christ are the eyebrow and the eyebrow sits home, the eyebrow is going to get grey, bushy or fall out. We need not to be Ecclesiastes House, unable due to neglect and we definitely need - not to fall out.


We are learning our faith. We are learning ideas of God from different points of the family table. We are strengthened in the Discussion of Jesus Christ.




I went to Church Sunday, flung open the Bible and read this:



Isaiah 46

9 "Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is no one like Me,

10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure."




Isaiah wrote exactly what the Holy Spirit said. And man will interpret their portion of Isaiah and act upon this. Causing the Magi to knock on the door of Herod's Palace for  Jesus.

The Purpose of Church is to sometimes see your seat in God's Table is not the same as the elbow or the forehead or the thumb. But to know that the Shepherds saw what Isaiah saw. That the Disciple John saw what Moses saw. John stayed with Jesus to the end and still saw the face of God as a Brilliant Light - John, like Moses, was in the same place, with the same God. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.





 
I am dealing with a husband with a fatal diagnosis and a crisis with my mom's health. I have suffering and feel strongly about suffering. And the recent History of Pew Research about Suffering and Church Attendance.

We are in a hurting world.


Does  God want us to suffer for Him. This type of thinking caused most of England to leave the Church when the World Wars were over. No one sees a Good God as one who wants suffering. It doesn't make sense. What makes sense with Father God - is He helps us in difficult times.  And still. and of course and really - suffering produces Character and Hope.  A Purpose. We want to see this meaning in our lives. Rick Warren says in reality we all face trouble or we are just leaving trouble.

We know God loves us and we want to see how this is shifting towards God. Our Father.

Honestly, Genuinely, with Earnestness. Forget that. I don't even sing that suffering part. Mouth shut.  I have suffered in life and I say that there is so much Joy in Jesus. I say Jesus has done Salvation. Are we required to be part of the goodness of God? Absolutely. Do we say - yay  - suffering. No. Unless maybe, you are part of the Body labelled Suffering. I want to do God's Will without being the mule who needs a bridle. I want to do this with Joy. I want to be like David saying, "Heck yes get the donkey, I love that donkey." And be so brave with Jesus Love that the real me blesses God.

Yes, we are bought at a Price.

 Yes this will require diligence, but why can't we do our diligence with seeing the Help of God, Joy in Prayer, The Helper, The Comforter, The Goodness of God.

I knew a man who called Isaiah 32:8 his goal in life.
Noble men make noble plans and stand with noble deeds. 

This truly noble man, leading his city, mayor, leading his Church in Bible Study. Leading his college in fund raising - truly a God Job. Said that the rest of Isaiah 8 was for God to take care of.

I know a joyous Bishop who says "His Banner of me is Love." Salvation is His mercy and we want to live His Words with Joy. And Love and Mercy. Our lives saying we live His Words. People will see we live His Words and see we Love Jesus.


God tells us the Joy He has in Creation!!!

God tells us the Beauty and Majesty in Creation are an echo of Heaven.

And we see, honestly, poverty surrounds our most beautiful areas of the earth. This is not Heaven. But we also see in this poverty, many times - Faith and Joy.

God tells us His Plan to send His Son to be part of Life. And time is spent telling us not just of suffering and death and cost. God tells us of healing, and holiness. Pages and Pages of Miracles we find hard to fathom. God is not like us. His Storehouses are never empty. He has suffered, died and Overcome Death to even bring Breakfast to the Beach to continue the Relationship.

Father God has a reaction to seeing the inner core of mankind ~  Salvation !!!!!!!!!!!

If we overlook this Salvation Blessing, we have also forgotten the invitation
 to bring our real soul to Father God in Jesus Christ
and have Eternity with God.

Jesus tells us in many Chapters in the Gospel of John what He thinks Life is. This is as He is about to willing bring us into His Sacrifice - to be able to dwell with Jesus and Father God. Jesus is telling us God sees this life as difficult, but yesterday, today and tomorrow, with God all things are possible - God sees His Creation as Good.

John 14:31
I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. 

Rise, let us go from here.

With Jesus, the answer is, Upward is God and this is Good.

Father God,

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Matthew 6
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.

Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Father God,

Today I did have sadness. But say that Joy is what Jesus says Life is and when we look for what You provide more than flaws, we will see the Joy.

I am lifting up Health in our family, particularly my mother. Thank you the 3 Hospice calls were overlooked. And today she is fighting back to health in skilled Nursing. Many people went forward to help my mother get into this very skilled nursing place. Good people at the Hospital made sure.

The nations of the world where Your people count on You. You are God. Holy. Marvelous.

We will look to the times ahead with Joy and smile and Laugh. God Lifts His Face to Us.

We are covered in the Name, the Mighty Name of Jesus the LORD.

Thank You, in Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Luke 2 ~ His Mother marveled at what was said about Him

 

Luke 2

33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”


39 And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.




41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 

46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 

48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 

49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?”

50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. 

And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

The Real Mary, 
you started to tally up what you think and know of the Biblical Mary. You find a real person with personality. With doubts and hardship. Some one we can identify with as human.

Well. Then. Let's talk about the Sadduceen Council records still available today during the time of Jesus' Ministry. 

And then again, based upon the scandalous things said about Mary, let's not. Jews judged by the mother - quite a Bit. And the one nice thing they said of Mary - she was of the line of David - her father's name was Heli.  







 Different from Joseph's Matthew 1.


Luke 3:22-24

22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli, 
24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melki,
the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph.

Mary was quite the gal. 

The Sadduceen Council said she was of the Line of David, and they took the time to think about her a few times. Yet evidently, people thought well of the little lady who was hoisted fat and pregnant on an 80 mile donkey ride to a barn.

Jesus Meek and Mild? Where?

Mary Meek and Mild? Where?

Evidently Mary was suitably spoken and well of heart.

 

The Annunciation, Tanner

Isaiah 7 tells of of Roman Occupation and the Economic Climate - Mary could anticipate -

10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11 “Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”

12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.”

13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

15 He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, 16 for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. 17 The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.”

(Syria was the Provence the country of Judah was assigned to be the suburb for - no one Wanted to go to the Kingdom of Judah to rule - this was considered the sticks.)

Flight Egypt Holy Family, Edwin Longsden

18 In that day the Lord will whistle for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. 19 They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices in the rocks, on all the thornbushes and at all the water holes.

            (Hosea 11:1
             11 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

             Matthew 2:15
             And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which   was spoken of the Lord  
by the prophet, saying, 
Out of Egypt have I called my son.)


20 In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River—the king of Assyria—to shave your head and private parts, and to cut off your beard also.

(Alexander the Great ordered his soldiers to be clean - shaven - fearing beards would serve as handles for their enemies to grab and kill. "The beard does not make the sage." In Ancient Rome, Pliny wrote in "Kings of Rome and the Early Republic"- P. Ticinius was the first who brought a barber to Rome around 299 B.C.)

(On to the economic forecast ... )

21 In that day, a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats. 22 And because of the abundance of the milk they give, there will be curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds and honey. 23 In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, there will be only briers and thorns. 24 Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns. 25 As for all the hills once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns; they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.

Now is a Great time to add in the historically accurate picture of Bethelem from the 19th Century -

And - This is a great time to add historical records of Herod killing infant boys in Nazareth say the slaughter was 20 babies. A small place. And Mary - "The Pregnant Out of Wedlock One" gets to return to the scene  - Where two Gospels record saying the blended family looked seamless. The Nazareth people say - perfectly blended.

Matthew 13:56
"Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us?"

Mary is recorded speaking to the Economic Environment - Purely "Politically Correctly"?

6 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.

Mary is told a sword is going to pierce here soul - but the young woman here is speaking of Fame.

And Blessings. This isn't Meek. Yet what teenager, in a rural city, engaged to a very poor son of David isn't going to think this??? She is Honest. Scriptures are Real. We can Trust God's Word.

How does Mary really, really feel about being occupied by Romans bring this incredible wealth with them?

51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”


Mary has a few opinions.
And Oops - she left a young Jesus - Behind.

And when Jesus started creating a dangerous fuss...

Mary goes with James, Joseph, Simon and Judas and his sisters - to "Speak" with Jesus - Causing Jesus to say "Do God's Will!"

Mary isn't that much of a put-off - 

Jesus did stay for a few days with His Disciples in Nazareth - at the house Joseph would have been building when Gabriel did announce the arrival of Emmanuel.  Jesus stayed with Mary, with His Disciples, for the Wedding in Canaan.

Jesus, of course, found a permanent home for Mary with John. Jesus, knew, of course, His Brothers would travel to proclaim the Gospel. (You can look that one up!)

Acts 1:14
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.


God did not choose a perfect - all knowing - never make a mistake - Demi Goddess. 

~ God chose the first Shepherd to Jesus to be Shepherded as He left.  
~ He had proven even His Mother needed a Savior.
~ God chose Mary who would push Jesus to make a Wedding right. 
~ Wanted to haul Him home. 
~ Distracted enough to loose Him on a Vacation. 
~Opinionated in class and opportunity.  
~ Rejoicing in an opportunity to leave the every day - to Fame. 
= A Real Human Being.


Mary - the Mother of Jesus Christ - Son of God, rejoining His Mothers and Brothers - Doing the Will of God. 



Father God, 

The prayer life of David was real and messy. And very personal to the Heart of You, Father God. Let us pray for life to draw us closer to Love and to Your Heart. 

I lift up my mother, Edward, Opah's family and husband, Wayne, Matthew.  

 And ask Your blessings of joy, guidance and protection to do Your Will with Love.

Mary was never a little bit Pregnant. Nor was Mary a little bit doing God's Call and Charge for her life. Jesus the Lord, our Heavenly Abba and the Powerful Holy Spirit empower us all to live and do the Good Will of our Heavenly Father.

Let us feel the Mercy of God renew each day, by looking for the blessings God provides each day to sustain us in Joy. God tells us to be Salt in life - to bring out the good flavors found around us. To see the good.   

We Bless You Father God for the Light of the World, Jesus. 

And ask in Mercy ~ We ask for rain in the areas of Texas needing rain. Blessings upon our loved ones. For this State and our Nation.  In Jesus. Amen. 

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Mark 8:22-26 ~ by the hand

Mark 8:22-26

And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 

23 And he took the blind man by the hand
and led him out of the village.

And when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 

24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 

25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”



There are moments when you read Scripture, you know you have walked with Jesus. The disciples were right, your heart knows what it knows what it knows.


Jesus The Son of God. Busy. Sought after. On point. Always surrounded. Jesus did not tell this man, "Quickly, go around the corner, move briskly, ok, we ditched the crowd. Now."

Jesus. Our Hero. Led this man by the hand and they strolled. Walked. Traveled together. Hand in hand.

Jesus the Lord. Alive and well. Bringing us hope - today.


Father God,

May the Lord, bless us and keep us.

May You shine Your face upon us.

And be gracious to us.

May You Lift up Your Countenance and Smile upon us.

May You bring us Peace, covering us in the Name of the Lord - Jesus the Christ. Only Son of God.
Lamb of God. Our Righteousness. Jesus the Lord. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Psalm 130 ~ with You there is forgiveness

Psalm 130

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities!

"Morning Has Broken" a Christian hymn by English author Eleanor Farjeon, published in 1931, using the Gaelic tune "Bunessan" (tune also used as "Child in the Manger").

My family always plays this beautiful song at our weddings and christenings. On our 25th Anniversary Holiday Weekend; at Church, a God-incidence, this song was played. What a blessing to hear it! It was my dad's favorite song. He died after divorcing my mother just before their 25th anniversary. Decades of one of the most loving marriages was abandoned. He did, as so many fathers do in divorce, he deserted his children. Making poor choices, choices we wouldn't have wanted him to make, ending his life in 1993. 

His last sentence was looking forward to God's mercy and dwelling with us in heaven. For us, it is quite emotional, reminds us of so many good memories of a lovely man who had an alcohol addiction. A man Jesus loves.

Divorce, infidelity, broken families, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Al Anon, Celebration Recovery are things people bring when they seek the comfort of God. God's open door policy is come as you really are.










What is Psalm 130? It's twin Psalm would be Psalm 67 or

Numbers 6:24-27
The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Psalm 32:1
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.


Psalm 67
 
May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!





Father God,

We want to Go with Your  blessing and hope our eternal life blooms.

We cover those we love with good health. Our  love for our families, our pets. To have Him help us see the job for the day with Joy, Zest, and Faith.

Jesus bless all of that. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Psalm 91 ~ He shall give

Psalm 91

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him will I trust.”

3 Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust; His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flieth by day, 6 nor of the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor of the destruction that layeth waste at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because thou hast made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation, 10 there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11 For He shall give His angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways.

12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample underfoot.

14 “Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known My name.

15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”

About 1908, my 40s something Great Grandfather Stephen Pinkney Richardson acquired Pneumonia and died. Stephen accomplished some good things. He left his 12 children believing in Jesus, built a Methodist Church and a small, small public library. My grandmother was 10 years old and she missed him and wrote a book about "Remembering Pappa." All the 12 children spoke well of him. Very well.

When my Grandmother Anita was in her early 40s, about 1941, antibiotics had one year to be invented. Sulfa was given. And Grandmother turned out to be allergic to penicillin. She might have died from the trial of the antibiotic. Grandmother Anita was in an iron lung for one solid year and lived. She taught Bible Study for 40 years. We have interesting commentary of a feisty, dedicated to Jesus Prayer Warrior. Who Worried All the Time. And one of the most grateful people I've ever seen - so very genuine.

The New Years I turned 40, I had Pneumonia for a week and a half. I coughed so badly that I threw out my back for 5 weeping sometimes years. I was grateful to God to know I'd survive the entire time and for the invention of the anti-viral Tamaflu.

This week, we have spent 12 hours and 10 hours a day in the Hospital. My mom has arrived at double Pneumonia through a UTI and in the course of taking 4 IV antibiotics. She has a miraculous level back to normal in her blood counts. Miraculous to arrive out of being semi-comatose. And miraculous to recover from being a little bit dementia oriented.



We worried to tell Hospice 3 times to wait. We worried we had condemned her to a life of merely breathing in a retirement home. We listened when she didn't make sense. We answered the same questions again and again. We WORRIED.


And it's a faith walk.

You have one strand of faith, one understanding of His Love in the Journey, the Trial.

You find another strand. The years of faith in Jesus taught to young children. Making a difference, that life is pushed aside and time is taken and people go to lengths to arrive.

Another strand. Do the best you can to please God and in pleasing God, asking Him to establish a way, truth, life for her.

The next strand of Truth. God is in Charge - there is no praying this incorrectly. Earnest Love for Health and Vitality.

The next strand of faith. God has a Plan. His Plan is good. If she goes Home to Heaven, God is going to take care of her.


We want to see the end result clearly. The end result is that if you call on Jesus - You are going Home.


The small steps of what we can do today - is the part where we get to live our faith and please God.

We will all sit at the Table of God and have a different Viewpoint. It's up to us all through out the New Testament to figure out how to be an earnest, genuine, God call answering member of Jesus' Body. How we strive to be on His Path. What our Call is Today.

There is a restaurant where we love to go and the wait server always asks what we will do for Fun Today. I'm pretty sure this is a reminder His Mercies Renew Each Day.

And Jesus tells us to be Salt. Flavorful.

And Light. Let His Love shine to remove what is too heavy and not encouraging us to Look Up To Jesus.

Taking the aspects of our life - not expecting ourselves to save us. Letting God Save us.

Realizing all the day - God Saves us.

The pieces of the puzzle
the painting
the stained glass
the art
the mystery

Will Renew in His Love.

Father God,

You do Give.

You give us Your Son Jesus to make us perfect and redeemed in Your eyes for eternity.

You give us this day.

You provide for us.

You show us Your Glory.

You hold us to You in Love for Eternity in Your Kingdom.

You Give us Your Mighty Love.

Thank You in Jesus for the ones I love and pray for. Thank You for this day.
Thank You for listening to prayers. We will look forward to the Future and Laugh with Joy at the Time to Come. We will take up the Banner of being Covered by His Love. We will be free.  This Joy is From Jesus the Lord. And we say God's Will Be Done with Peace. This comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. Amen.

Galatians 4:6
And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †