Luke 19:1-10 ~ And behold

There is a tree in Jericho, preliminary tests say is many, many centuries old. Like the Abraham Oaks of Mamre, the Oak tree was re-seeded and re-planted. Some say this Sycamore tree is that important 2 millennium mark. Others - not so sure.

Luke 19:1-10

 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 

2 And behold, 
there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 

4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was about to pass that way. 

5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to Him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 

6 So he hurried and came down and received Him joyfully. 

7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 

8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 

9 And Jesus said to him, 

“Today salvation has come to this house, 

since he also is a son of Abraham. 

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Joy is the great explanation of God's Plan. John 14, 15, 16 and 17. Joy.

People ask, did Jesus laugh. I believe Jesus laughed when He said, 

"Turn the other cheek."  Not just asking to be slapped, but turn away and be at peace with one another.  In other words, "Drop it."  

Perhaps, maybe, possibly, and just wonder with me.  Jesus Christ, the Only Son of God, walked on water because He had such Joy.  Jesus said, "Rise!" Quite a lot. Jesus could cast all the momentary irks, pains and sorrows and just rise over it, knowing the Lord God Almighty

Luke 4, as Jesus merely walked through the people He lived with in Nazareth for decades.  They wanted to throw Him down 1,000 feet off of Nazareth's Cliff.

Luke 4:29-30

And they rose up, and cast Him forth out of the city, 

and led Him unto the brow of the hill 

whereon their city was built, 

that they might throw Him down headlong. 

But He passing through the midst of them went 

His Way.

Luke, was a Greek Physician. Luke did not travel with Jesus during His Grace upon Grace years, as a Disciple.  And yet, these verses are told as if Jesus was giving a dinner party and giving Grace upon Grace with Joy.

Jesus would begin to tell about His Day:

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.

And the Disciples and women traveling with Jesus would smile or laugh. Why?

Quite a few of the Disciples have traveled with John the Baptist and display some pretty interesting discussion questions with Jesus. They have been looking for God. Asking and seeking.

OK, the Disciples and women traveling with Jesus would smile or laugh. Why?

The test of God to the 40-year-Exodus to finally achieve Israel was to head to Jericho first.  Because Jericho was not supposed to be the stopping point. This was the first time Joshua, and not Moses, was leading them. 40 years in the desert and stop in Jericho. Jericho is considered to be the Oasis of Israel. A land of milk and honey.

Out of Egypt, I call My Son.

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.

So the Disciples were ready to hear more of Jesus - telling them about His Day.

And Jesus tells about a small man, who climbs a huge tree they probably know in Jericho. A very large tree.  The smiles surround the thought of the small man climbing the large tree. And... this man is a notorious Tax Collector. Even funnier.  Tax Collectors aren't a funny situation.

Jesus fully knows the man because He saw Nathaniel under the tree praying. The Disciples know Jesus, they fully understand. The disciples bear witness about these things, and have written these things, and we know their testimony is true. Now, there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. And Jesus calls him Zacchaeus.

And Jesus comes to his house. Bringing the gift of Salvation for always, forever and many days.  Even when we have been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the Son.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Isaiah 40:26

Lift up your eyes on high and see: 

Who created these? 

He who brings out their host by number,

 calling them all by name, 

by the greatness of His might, 

and because He is strong in power

 not one is missing.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Thank You Lord Jesus

You are God 

Proverbs 16:1-13 ~ Peace with Him

 

Proverbs 16:

The plans of the heart belong to man,

    but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,

    but the Lord weighs the spirit.

3 Commit your work to the Lord,

    and your plans will be established.

4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose,

    even the wicked for the day of trouble.

5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;

    be assured, he will not go unpunished.

6 By steadfast love

 and faithfulness 

iniquity is atoned for,

    and 

by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.

7 When a man's ways please the Lord,

    he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8 Better is a little with righteousness

    than great revenues with injustice.

9 The heart of man plans his way,

    but the Lord establishes his steps.

10 An oracle is on the lips of a king;

    his mouth does not sin in judgment.

11 A just balance and scales are the Lord's;

    all the weights in the bag are his work.

12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil,

    for the throne is established by righteousness.

13 Righteous lips are the delight of a king,

    and he loves him who speaks what is right.

This last month had gone by with incredible speed. My mother-in-law celebrated her 90th Birthday with a lot of joy. We picked up a basket of good things. Yet, she, the perpetual clothes horse, loved all of her birthday, but loved the jacket we got her best.  

Her family gave her a room full of love, good wishes, singing, balloons and Balloons 90  surrounded her much decorated chair with her tiara. An admirer, sheet cake, sandwiches and a room full of happy people and ice cream.

Our neighborhood children made the Poodles homemade dog treats. The dogs are still having a few.  And in a cute Halloween dog bag. So wonderful.

Sciatica hip pain returned from 2018.  I have a funny place in my back. And spent time swimming in cold water, until the freeze, another trip to Dallas to clean up the front yard. And then a lovely lunch with family and friends, returning home to 2 weeks of antibiotics. Was coughing to oblivion and back, prayed for. Not coughing. But suddenly needed a different antibiotic. I am missing, missing, missing Church, but not adding more colors to others, like Autumn leaves. No one needs a two week antibiotic episode.  And sinus headache.

And we added shelving to our closets at the ceiling, so everything was piled all over the bathroom. Hop to the left, just a jump to the right, and now you have the Kleenexes.  Get the tens unit while on the deep side of the pile. No bath availbable, instead clothing hill.  Trailing the tens unit falling out of the pocket. 

How would you be, unable to turn over as you sleep for a month, then not breathing for 2 weeks while coughing and having bathroom clothing upheaval? And sinus headache. Me, I tend to get better, take on so many things and then have to go back to bed. The Joy of suddenly having breathing and feeling better.  I think this week will be the 'real heal. '

Other people have had issues too. Our neighbors had a foot of water from their refrigerator water to ice line broke.  One ambulance arrived this year. One fall that was bad. And a leak detection agency. My mother-in-law would like to be home, but there was a house stove left on and a wander off in complete confusion. One angry and disturbed neighbor.  Our sons are so grumpy with us. We have family who don't seem to have achieved calm since the Pandemic, and this can be a fuss up. Two people we know have had a Cancer scare. An old friend of the family, had her neighbors call us to tell us of a Molly Brown, drover herself to the hospital, and survived immediate open-heart surgery.  And yet, and yet, and yet. All are maintaining the maintain. Good News.

We will all pray for each other and help one another. 

We have met 4 service calls of the employees not knowing how to do their job in this month. Let's make that 5. 3 who did!!!  Reminding me of the Russian, 7 foot, giant who arrived to say my having- hysterics-washing-machine was working and pay him $200 dollars immediately. Fortunately, we had a crowd of people in the house, and he was offered to be reported all over Social Media if he did not exit the building immediately. The next washing machine repairman had heard of the 7 foot Russian asking for money. It's a popcorn world!!!

Usually, wake up about 8, pray. And I'm called do to my mom's house or work. We groom and walk the dogs, which is beautiful and will allow us to view beautiful sky, trees, yard, pond and vista, then have a coffee, I swim at twilight to see the sky change. Midday, something around the house will require something. That will take between an hour or two. And then in the afternoon there will be housework. And write this blog, which is a joy of the heart and soul.  So profoundly Grateful to tell of the Love of the Lord. How He sustains, heals and helps. Bless the Readers to have Hope in His Love. We will see His work in these troubled and stressful years.  His Help in these Living Years.  

We talk about Edward's hobby and how he feels today. What goes on with family. And what we love. We pray. Edward was diagnosed with a terminal illness in 2011. And saw an excellent specialist in 2013. But he is doing so very well.

We traveled to Arlington Heights, Texas and Panorama Village to see beautiful homes and beautiful Texas views. We are so blessed. 

Edward saw a Doctor this month. And this was rather unusual. But ok. He surprised me with the news on a Monday morning and we went. 

In our 6th decade, there is peace to find our work is surrounding us and we uphold each other.  Edward asked me today if we are old. No, I have had many 2 week colds with all this hacking for many decades. 

,

All the events of the last month have put us between this or that for making Thanksgiving plans. One set cancelled. So we made alternatives. Yet, I tell you, this husband of mine can have 687 opinions in a day. I'm quite sure if I could make the plans, it would be much more fun....

All over Social Media, people are asking what are you grateful for? 

I'm grateful to see Church on TV. I miss Church. I am grateful for the Choir to radiate Heaven to our hearts. I'm grateful and grateful.

I'm grateful for the exercise I can do to make the back pain ease up. I am grateful this will heal.  I am so grateful that this lack of breathing and sleeping will be gone. So Grateful.

Grateful for all the joys in life, Edward loves. So very glad to be the Chief one.

Grateful to look a long distance and see, with my eyes, mortar between the bricks. So thrilled to have dreams come to the forefront. And dreams that prevail still.

And… Profoundly Grateful to the Grocery Store.  The sights of the Poinsettias. The many decades of pristine aroma of a fresh tree.  Still so thrilling.  And to see people so pleased and moving quickly to fill their cart with celebration. Celebration.  The bustle of the Joy of the Season.  Gratitude. 

Our street has so many Christmas lights and a few trees already. Christmas wreaths and Thanksgiving wreaths. The JOY of the Season begins.  No fusses, for what season, is what. The Goal is relaxed Celebration. It is wonderful to come home and see the Celebrations begin.

Grateful to look forward to the next month with expectation and joy. I hope that you as well will have the Joy of the Season. Gratitude and God who trusts us again with the birth of His Son, our Salvation.

There is trouble in the world. Yes. And we do our small part to pray, help and encourage.

And all these small parts, will add up. And, we will see the Hand of God in mankind. To Light the world with Jesus Christ. 

Alleluia. Alleluia. We know God trusts us to give us His Son again this year as a tiny baby.

Alleluia. He wants to save the world in Jesus Christ. Alleluia. 

Abba, Father,

The world is bright with the joyous saints 

who love to do Jesus’ will. 

You can meet them in school, 

or in lanes, 

or at sea, 

in church, or in trains, 

or in shops, 

or at tea; 

for the saints of God are just folk like me, 

and I mean to be one too.” 

(“The Hymnal,” #293)

Alleluia. Alleluia. 

We know God trusts us to give us His Son again this year as a tiny baby.

Alleluia.

He wants to save the world 

in Jesus Christ. Alleluia. 

Miles to go in His Kingdom

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Thank You Lord Jesus

You are God 

John 3:5-8 ~ Born Again

 

John 3:5-8

5 Jesus answered, 

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit 

[Greek word means both wind and spirit]. 

7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

8 The wind [wind and spirit] blows where it wishes,

 and you hear its sound, 

but you do not know where it comes from 

or where it goes. 

So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Isaiah 6:8

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 

“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” 

Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

People new to the Bible and farflung in the Word of God wonder. As they should. God had a lot of serious, and joyful, sustaining and strengthening conversations with us in our mind, heart and soul as we just wonder.

Wonder is a good thing. When the direction is always Jesus Christ and His Steadfast Love.

This Post is a wondrous, ponderous and serious Post. And like Billy Graham said, I've seen the last page and this is going to turn out well. Buckle your seatbelts, please, we might have a bumpy ride.

The National Suicide Rate has gone from 15% of deaths to .... far up there.  And if you haven't looked, the Suicide Rate was pretty small and prepared to go the distance as the Pandemic was heating up to lockdown. Then when people lived, then the Suicide Rate started to climb enough to be mentioned by the White House as a significant situation in 2021. This rate has climbed and fallen like the trampoline stock market.  But this trend is not our friend.

What is significant during the Pandemic, and, dare we call this Post Pandemic if this is the situation - is very significant.  The significant number of increasing suicides is, exactly, what we have seen in Church numbers attrition. A spike and then a 2% loss. With the Suicide Rate doing something very, very similar and slightly larger.

This week we have looked at Overcoming. And looked into Jeremiah's trials and found comfort, hope and the Glory of God.  We looked at Phillip, the Disciple, and saw what his life has meant to our Father. We discussed the first century Bible found in India. And this causes me again to wonder about the true usefulness of the Apocrypha and the coveted Asian culture in the Word of God.

And cast all these paragraphs aside and Wonder Anew ... What the Almighty and His Church Can Do.

Remember, with me, when the death rate in early 2020 in Italy was 28% death rate, before the President Locked Down the Pandemic, and New York City was 18% and bordering on 19% as the plague was striking. Who was working? In New York City, the Churches began Bread Lines. And the Pews were open and filling for those who wanted a place to sleep. Landlords were tossing people out of their can't pay the rent, the job closed down.

The Church stepped up. 

Maybe you have different recollections of your Church. Ok, but did your Church deal with such Death? There you go. 

I believe if the death rate had begun to increase, we would have seen what we saw in New York City and their Churches.  That is the History of the Church. And the Popes who had dances in 'yellow' velvet shoes and loved to dance. They tightened their seatbelts, left the fur coats and fires, went forth and put themselves out there praying for the dead and dying. Went out of their way to Preach the Exact Word of God, show Love, give Mercy, Absolution and Stop War. 

This is what the dire portions of the Pandemic saw the Church perform.

Analogy. People of long-standing Bible reading, with wonder, and the newbies wonder why Jesus spoke in Parables. Picture Language. 

Consider Peter Pan. The book is the pre-antibiotic story of Child Death. The world was seeing the road of possibilities widen. The Golden Age.  Steam Engines were as exciting as rockets. Airplanes the military and the skies revealed. Beautiful works. Cities were a delight to the eye in architecture.  This was as Beautiful and Chaldean Babylonian Empire with the Hanging Gardens for Love. The Browning Poetry explained the love and hope the era was generating. 

Debate the author all you like, the author knew of loss.

Peter Pan is a glimpse of Heaven for parents who lost their children. The spirits sailed right out the window. What would these children do? What would Heaven provide. Hope.

Isaiah 49

Listen to me, O coastlands,

    and give attention, you peoples from afar.

The Lord called me from the womb,

    from the body of my mother He named my name.

2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword;

    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;

he made me a polished arrow;

    in his quiver he hid me away.

3 And he said to me, “You are my servant,

    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”

4 But I said, “I have labored in vain;

    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;

yet surely my right is with the Lord,

    and my recompense with my God.”

5 And now the Lord says,

    He who formed me from the womb to be His servant,

to bring Jacob back to Him;

    and that Israel might be gathered to Him—

for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord,

    and my God has become my strength—

He says:

“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant

    to raise up the tribes of Jacob

    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;

I will make you as a light for the nations,

    that my salvation 

may reach 

to the end of the earth.”

Now, we begin to see why Mary Poppins rides the sky. The Ascension!

JRR Tolkien had Gandalf speak of the years of unknowing. Gandalf rode with the Lord, the adventure of Life. And many years, the Lord was silent. 

We walk by faith. Jeremiah had to walk by faith, thrown in a dirt pit under the Great King David's Palace. 

I've known more details about suicide than I care to have ever known. My father was an alcoholic and in the same vein as the movie, "Second Hand Lions." He was an accomplished man, of great intelligence and so much wit. A friend of his called him a Social Lion. 

How the mighty have fallen. We shall not. We will put our house in order.

One of 3 Americans abuse substance. And the suicide rate with substance abuse is astronomically higher.  Fact. 

And this is a track of death, like a train knowing that it will end badly. The track will run out. Two people let me understand their world as they rode this rail. My father said he was too old to change in his early 60s. Man, he should have been more honest and said he was deciding in his 30s.  A woman I knew in college and became friends because God puts people geographically, and by work, in place. Let the writing on the wall, be Life.

Each of them did something we should avoid. They focused on themselves and Happiness.

And then, when they decided they would probably be 'brave' and end their unhappiness, they began to ride the terminal train ride. It's, actually, usually decades of more collection of less than joy memories. One of the symptoms of this negativity, it craves more facts. Falsely, they tell themselves they are more unhappy than... this person or that social media. Years and memories will be rewired.  And all facts begin to skew to their reinterpretation of greater unhappiness. One person told me, they had zero ability to have gratitude.

Yes, there are truly tormented people. 

And this isn't what I am writing about, I am speaking of people who could see more of the Good.  And change the path. People willing to try a different direction to gain strength in their souls to feed their lives.  The Hobbit type change. 

Rather, receive the power of the Holy Spirit to come upon you and be the witnesses.

Born Again.

Marriage. Marriage is found to heal if people say I will give this five years of complete devotion to friendship and help. Put aside grievances.  And more than 75% heal. We should cheerlead ourselves only in ways a Good Father who is Good would do.

Death will gather lies. When death is planned.

Father, 

In the Glory of Jesus,

Your Kingdom come

Thy Will be done

on earth as in Heaven.

Help us to see more Heaven.

Be more Heaven

and give more Heaven.

Jesus, You have Given us.

Jesus is the Gate.

Jesus is the Compassionate Shepherd.

Thank You

You trust Your Son

Born Again

Each Year.

Amen.

How will we learn Gratitude? 

How will we learn such Strength as to Find Joy 

To Trust that God is going to help us overcome. To be curious about things and events around us. To Listen to people.  Not so much to jump into their advice, but to put it in our thoughts to see if we learn from God what is said.  Let God be the filter.  Instead, we are God's accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, God planned for these good things to be the way we live our lives.

Journals. Oh blah blah blah. Yes, you've heard of Journals.  But how about this. You write down a few words, not vanity of long explanations, but a few words of something. And then you search High and Low for the work of God to grow, to break... as in prune.  And you look for the Blessings.  And you can and will go back later and add on, what good came from this event.  It's not a lie, denying feelings, this is the Easter Egg Hunt of: find the Blessings. It can even be, be more cautious.  Or the self awareness of being too swayed. 

The dangers of putting it all on your happiness and not what you can bring to improve life and make life better.  How? Do something in your prayer life can help. Read the Bible for the Comfort until you find the Help and Comfort. Especially late at night.

Our hearts were warm within us while He was talking to us on the road, while He was opening the Scriptures to us.

When your heart is warmed, then you have found what God is saying to you.

Do not expect people to provide the oil. The Oil in the Lamp is God. God is the One who is Good.

Both of the people I knew, and the people others suffered with after suicide, found that some people intentionally put poison in the water.  We are responsible for ourselves and we hope the best for the people around us. We can shine the Light of God's Love, but what others do with this - is their choice.

Drop it. 

The favorite command of the people with puppies. If the wrath of God isn't part of the message for you, then don't let yourself work over something, even a comment, that isn't for you. And then do yourself the favor, of not applying it to someone else.

Gossip. Gossip is not applied when we are seeking healing. It is applied if the drum keeps beating. Even Matthew McConaughey can appreciate drumming that stops. People expect to have the news to understand the behaviors and thoughts around them.  But not if the dog continues to bark and annoy everyone. 

Even memories of straight-up grief, can be examined for the Joy they bring to the Life ahead.

God Meant it for the good, to bring about many people who should be kept alive. As they are

today.

Seek and you shall find. 

Jesus said to them, "I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to Me shall not hunger and shall never thirst."

Remember, the Prodigal Son is about the process of letting go. Letting God. Believing in the Good of God. And then being warm-hearted. loving when the opportunity presents itself. A lot of time in the process.

If God tells us, He is the Bread of Life. Then we should want to participate in the seeking and finding of being the Bread and Living Water.  Accepting the wonder of this huge faith.

Practice the Christianity of Christ, believing there is Joy, Joy, Joy in life. 

John 14, 15, 16 and 17.

Thank you for your prayers. I'm not coughing much.

But on a new antibiotic for sinus problems.

We pray for Health, Father, Abba,

Within our Thanksgiving Day and travels

For all our employments, Churches, Cities,

for the Nation

and the earth is the Lord's

 the fullness thereof.

In the Name of Jesus.

Amen.

Isaiah 40:26

Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? 

He who brings out their host by number,

 calling them all by name, 

by the greatness of His might, 

and because He is strong in power

 not one is missing.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Thank You Lord Jesus

You are God